We know technology improves our quality of life by helping us solve problems efficiently. What about management, then? Management coordinates and administrates tasks which allows us to achieve defined objectives. Technology and management are both essential to our everyday lives. Management involves planning, making accurate decisions, and leading the team. Technology helps us experiment with our ideas, whereas management helps in putting them in order. They are both instrumental throughout the process of completing projects successfully. Having said that, let’s explore the effects technology has vs management on aspects of the world we live in.
What does it Mean by Technology?
From tools to machines that we use daily to simplify our lives, everything comes under the umbrella of Technology. Anything that is made from innovation to solve problems and improve our lives is a technology product. Technology allows us to communicate with our loved ones from any corner of the world any time we like. It even allows us to travel from any part of the world as quickly as possible.
It has improved our lives in every way. The continuous innovation in the field of technology has shown us that there are no limits to humans’ level of creativity.
What is Management?
In simple words, managing a task means doing it in the most effective way. It is all about organizing and planning a task and controlling its resources, including people and finances, to achieve goals. But it is also about the decisions in the background we make to make sure the task is being carried out most efficiently and effectively. It also involves motivating and developing a team that has enough discipline to face the challenges to achieve goals.
To be good in management, one must be good with strategic thinking, and adapting to the environment. Diving a long-term goal into short-term steps and executing them is an example of managing a task.
What does technology have to offer?
We interact with technology throughout the day. The convenience it brings to our lives explains why we cannot contemplate them without it anymore. Before modern technology, we did most tasks manually. This was not only exhausting and tedious but took up the majority of our time. We then introduced machines to perform mundane work, which left us with more time to explore.
Moreover, we brought innovation, utilizing the time given to us to the maximum. It’s important to note that the technological revolution was far from the first one in history. However, impacts have never been this rapid and transformational. That’s where it stands out, paving the path for more advanced forms and types of technologies in a shorter period.
The best part about technology is its versatility, allowing us to perform tasks quickly, efficiently, successfully, and oftentimes engagingly or entertainingly. Do you want to transfer money instantly or connect with friends across the globe? Or, maybe, want to make purchases?
For all these, technology has got your back. That’s how convenient technology has made our lives. Right from socializing to transportation to safety, technology is present in every aspect, improving the efficiency of the processes. It has impacted our lives dramatically and has worked in our favor.
What can management do?
The chief functions of management are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Planning involves short-term and long-term plans, crucial in attaining set goals. Once planning is done, it needs to be organized into a structure. That way, organizations are in a much better position to facilitate and sustain growth.
Leadership is a part of management responsible for setting targets along with delegating roles. If the organization encounters unexpected situations, management leads the team through inspiration or encouragement to get back on track. Lastly, controlling ensures standards are met alongside achieving the organization’s goals.
Having recognized the primary functions of management, it’s time we look at its benefits. The first advantage of management is that it identifies the need and helps achieve the specified objectives. In a firm, employees have various ideas for business growth. Management helps bring all these ideas together and aligns them with the main goal of the organization.
That way, it helps employees reach their full potential while bringing development to the organization. Moreover, management helps in making the use of resources efficient while reducing costs. It maintains a good working culture and devises plans for the future. To sum up, management has a lot to offer to both individuals and organizations.
Technology vs management: What is their distinct influence?
Now that you are well-versed with technology and management, let us move on to understanding how different their application is in the same areas. For this analysis, we will take some common sectors into account.
Business
Technology in businesses helps enhance the efficiency of operations. Firstly, it makes information and resource sharing quicker which aids in forging customer relationships. Secondly, it enabled remote working, accelerated by the pandemic, which has increased the productivity of employees significantly. Lastly, advanced technology has changed business processes, giving many a competitive edge in the market.
In contrast, management coordinates and organizes the activities of the businesses. It helps the organization in setting and accomplishing its purpose. Along with this, it assists the employees in gaining the highest level of productivity. Furthermore, it supports data analysis, identifying patterns, and making accurate predictions regarding the future.
Communication
Technology has dramatically reduced the wait time across the board. Isn’t shortening the wait time from months to a few seconds impressive? It surely is, and we are utilizing it to the fullest. Social media has brought the globe closer. People can easily expand their networks and stay in touch.
Now all you need is a device with an internet connection, and the world is at your fingertips. This can also apply to communicating with machines we employ.
Management in communication ensures that such channels are managed intelligently and reliably at all levels, including personal, team, and organizational. It drives the success of the organization along with building its reputation. Managing communications also nurtures a shared sense of vision, allowing employees to work in collaboration and meet task plans.
Medical
Technological advancements have brought medical betterment. This led to discoveries that have helped save patients’ lives through interventions and pharmaceuticals, and indirectly, through the overall quality of care. They also made healthcare more accessible. Plus, technology facilitates remote monitoring, sending calls for help automatically, and letting patients connect with doctors across the world.
As the complexity of medical technology increases, the need to manage it successfully arises. Management in healthcare oversees the daily operations of private and governmental facilities. It ensures an establishment is running within the budget and has the necessary equipment and enough employees and capacity for patients. In other words, it makes sure that the healthcare facility operates as it should.
How to Use Technology For Time Management
Without a doubt, technology has made things a lot easier for humans. With the arrival of new gadgets, life has not been the same. Our smartphones and computers allow us to do difficult tasks easily. But we can do wonders if we can use technology to manage our time effectively in these ways:
- Play Your Day: Your morning should start with you writing down your goals and at what time you need to accomplish them. For that, you can set reminders and also use online calendars to make sure you do not miss them.
- Organize Your Routine: How many times it has happened with you that you realize the day is already gone without you doing anything? It happens when we are not fully organized and waste a lot of time while staying confused. You can use software to manage your projects, like Trello and Asana, and get your work done before the deadline.
- Use Applications To Manage Time: There are applications for pretty much everything these days. Using an application like an online time calculator will allow you to manage your to-do lists and other tasks. You can also use productive tools like Google Drive, etc., to improve your workflow.
Here is a table comparing the traditional management methods with tech-enhanced practices:
| Aspect | Traditional Management | Tech-Enhanced Management |
|---|---|---|
| Planning | Manual planning, physical scheduling | Digital calendars, AI-driven scheduling tools |
| Organizing | Paper-based documentation, physical file storage | Cloud storage, digital documentation |
| Task Management | Manual task allocation, verbal communication | Project management apps, instant communication tools |
| Performance Monitoring | In-person supervision, manual reporting | Real-time analytics, automated reporting systems |
Your thoughts on the management vs technology comparison?
Now that we reached the end of our examination, we would like to know your preference. If given a choice, would you like to build a career in the technical field, where you get to work hands-on with projects involving technology?
Or, would you prefer a management position, where you may aid businesses and bridge the gap between an organization and its customers? This is one of the hot topics in the career planning and management forum. If you were stuck on this, we hope our analysis gave you clarity.