I.Introduction
It's widely acknowledged that technology has changed the way people live and work. This post is aimed at looking at the problems which have arisen with the adoption of a telephone and incalculable office devices as inevitable tools used in every office around the globe. Moreover, we are going to give predictions about future of the office telephone and provide readers with reasonable points why telephone is about to face its decline as an instrument used in many working places and offices.
some links dealing with the topic:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Office_Technology.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23448353
II. Changes in modern offices.
The modern office has changed dramatically since the 1990s. Offices in today's society are transmitting information via electronic mail (e-mail), electronic calendars, and teleconferencing, as well as other electronic devices. Communication via technology is just as important as oral and written communication in the work environment. Technology continues to play a vital role in transforming the business environment.
The most amusing thing about modern technology that it has changed the sound of office life. For a hundred years it was a noisy place, filled with the sound of telephones and typewriters. Now it is almost silent.
It is notewothy that not long ago being an office instrument of special significance and considered to be irreplaceble, telephone now is about to become extinct, just like it has already happened to his predecessor - typewriter. In the modern office environment telephone is no longer required.
III. Historical Background of the Office Equipment of XIX century.
1.In the beginning there were just paper and quills.
2.Then came the typewriter in 1860s.
3.Another breakthrough came in 1870 - the filing cabinet.
4.Then came the telegraph - also in 1870s used for office purposes.
5.But in 1876 came the telephone!!! and with it a new sort of behaviour.
But by middle of the 20th Century most workers had a phone on their desk. They got used to the constant ringing and interruptions. The office switchboard was the hub of office, a sort of social glue connecting everyone to everyone else.
IV. What is the threat that has led to the extinction of these devices and office telephone in particular?
The invention of the PC in the 1980s altered the way computing power was distributed within an organization—changing how companies were run, the ways in which information was created, and the ways in which information was used by individuals in carrying out their jobs.
Once a company had the PC, it no longer needed all the equipment stated above. The functions of PC consist in fulfilling all the work which is done by each of these office instruments but much more efficiently and conveniently.
For instance, with the filling cabinet, it created an entire industry of unnecessary work by stuffing paper into bulging files knowing perfectly well that no-one would ever look at it again. On one estimate, the UK in the pre-computer age shoved more than two million tonnes of paper into filing cabinets every year. Unnecessarily.
Prior to the advent of the PC, secretaries typed letters, created reports, and organized information in files, made and received phone calls from the company collegues and clients. The nature of secretarial positions changed with the arrival of the PC, from a focus on document creation and production to a focus on other kinds of administrative functions, as reflected in the changing work patterns of the office.
Some of the technologies used in today's offices are:
•Internet
•Web pages
•Web-based e-mail
•Voice Mail
•Electronic Calendars
•Office Suites
•Portable PCs
•Teleconferences
•Multimedia system
•Smart Board
V. Conclusions and my personal attitude.
To sum it up, I would say that office arrangement is undergoing new developments. I believe that in the nearest future the office telephone will become obsolete and will be no longer used. The office telephone already has his rivals such as the Internet and the PC, which are by far the most useful tools and they fulfill their functions much more efficiently and less costly.
Nevertheless, the office telephone still will be found in any local insignificant companies.
Contrary to the belief, the best technology is not necesseraly the most innovative and expensive. That's why I expect the PCs and the Internet to remain for at least a decade the key components of the office environment. As long as these office instruments remain the cheapest and the most available means of accomplishing office work, they will be broadly used. It is also worth mentioning that almost all representative of young generation are capable of doing the work using these devices. The ability to use technology is an essential skill in the ever changing workforce of the twenty-first century.
To put it in plain English: We are now witnessing the death of the office landline including the office telephone.
It's widely acknowledged that technology has changed the way people live and work. This post is aimed at looking at the problems which have arisen with the adoption of a telephone and incalculable office devices as inevitable tools used in every office around the globe. Moreover, we are going to give predictions about future of the office telephone and provide readers with reasonable points why telephone is about to face its decline as an instrument used in many working places and offices.
some links dealing with the topic:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Office_Technology.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23448353
II. Changes in modern offices.
The modern office has changed dramatically since the 1990s. Offices in today's society are transmitting information via electronic mail (e-mail), electronic calendars, and teleconferencing, as well as other electronic devices. Communication via technology is just as important as oral and written communication in the work environment. Technology continues to play a vital role in transforming the business environment.
The most amusing thing about modern technology that it has changed the sound of office life. For a hundred years it was a noisy place, filled with the sound of telephones and typewriters. Now it is almost silent.
It is notewothy that not long ago being an office instrument of special significance and considered to be irreplaceble, telephone now is about to become extinct, just like it has already happened to his predecessor - typewriter. In the modern office environment telephone is no longer required.
III. Historical Background of the Office Equipment of XIX century.
1.In the beginning there were just paper and quills.
2.Then came the typewriter in 1860s.
3.Another breakthrough came in 1870 - the filing cabinet.
4.Then came the telegraph - also in 1870s used for office purposes.
5.But in 1876 came the telephone!!! and with it a new sort of behaviour.
But by middle of the 20th Century most workers had a phone on their desk. They got used to the constant ringing and interruptions. The office switchboard was the hub of office, a sort of social glue connecting everyone to everyone else.
IV. What is the threat that has led to the extinction of these devices and office telephone in particular?
The invention of the PC in the 1980s altered the way computing power was distributed within an organization—changing how companies were run, the ways in which information was created, and the ways in which information was used by individuals in carrying out their jobs.
Once a company had the PC, it no longer needed all the equipment stated above. The functions of PC consist in fulfilling all the work which is done by each of these office instruments but much more efficiently and conveniently.
For instance, with the filling cabinet, it created an entire industry of unnecessary work by stuffing paper into bulging files knowing perfectly well that no-one would ever look at it again. On one estimate, the UK in the pre-computer age shoved more than two million tonnes of paper into filing cabinets every year. Unnecessarily.
Prior to the advent of the PC, secretaries typed letters, created reports, and organized information in files, made and received phone calls from the company collegues and clients. The nature of secretarial positions changed with the arrival of the PC, from a focus on document creation and production to a focus on other kinds of administrative functions, as reflected in the changing work patterns of the office.
Some of the technologies used in today's offices are:
•Internet
•Web pages
•Web-based e-mail
•Voice Mail
•Electronic Calendars
•Office Suites
•Portable PCs
•Teleconferences
•Multimedia system
•Smart Board
V. Conclusions and my personal attitude.
To sum it up, I would say that office arrangement is undergoing new developments. I believe that in the nearest future the office telephone will become obsolete and will be no longer used. The office telephone already has his rivals such as the Internet and the PC, which are by far the most useful tools and they fulfill their functions much more efficiently and less costly.
Nevertheless, the office telephone still will be found in any local insignificant companies.
Contrary to the belief, the best technology is not necesseraly the most innovative and expensive. That's why I expect the PCs and the Internet to remain for at least a decade the key components of the office environment. As long as these office instruments remain the cheapest and the most available means of accomplishing office work, they will be broadly used. It is also worth mentioning that almost all representative of young generation are capable of doing the work using these devices. The ability to use technology is an essential skill in the ever changing workforce of the twenty-first century.
To put it in plain English: We are now witnessing the death of the office landline including the office telephone.
I agree with u. I think that one day telephone will go extinct, just as telegram. And they are like everything in history, had been improved and replaced. Now the devices we are using came from them.
ReplyDeleteWe don't use its format anymore, but its function.
We now have voice mail and video communication apps in our smart phones. Using computer send and receive emails. They are cheap and easy to use. Then, I think, the last value of a telephone is as an souvenir using by film making or some art design.
Thank you Marina~
ReplyDeleteMy question is: is that a global phenomenon? There are still some places which are not signal coverage or Internet coverage~ just like Ovingdean: very weak signal of mobile phone and if I want to dial a cab. I need to use a wall telephone. Furthermore, in some developing countries and the third world countries, there is a huge gap between the rich and the poor. In fact, it is no exaggeration to say there are still some places which relied on the telephone to connect with the outside world, for example, some remote rural village in China.
Furthermore, the landline itself has some unshakable advantages such as lower cost and stable signal, even there are some natural disasters. Especially when considered about the trade secret protection and low cost, organisation would like to use the landline and LAN.
However, I have to admit that the demise of telephone in my daily life has gone almost unnoticed. My family even don’t have a telephone now, and everybody use their cell phones. More public places become quieter and quieter, like undergrounds and buses. Although people look like devote to their mobiles, most of the time they are not talking but typing. Just like what Marina described, the office culture has become increasingly silent.
Moreover, the death of landline has not only altered out daily habit but also is a culture shift that affect s the way of thinking and learning. It has separated us from the groups – people would prefer to use email to pass the messages even they sit face to face. For my personal experience, when I took up an internship in an apple apps company, the first thing they asked me was did you have a Skype account? In the following weeks, we almost rarely talked to each other except greeting~ but using the Skype.
All in all, I feel that there is a culture shift which is caused by the decline of landline. It has already change our personal and public lives. However, the analyse of this problem should be according to the different circumstances, like culture, national conditions and company profits.
Thank u Marine, I have read the link before you write the review of it and got some extra ideas.
ReplyDeleteWe use two kinds of phone, one is the mobile phone, the other is the fixed-line telephone like the landline which put in our office desk. The mobile phone(eg. The smart phone we use currently) has multifunction, we can not only use it as a communicate tool but also can surf in internet through wifi connection, take pictures within the inner-camera, read books, play games, get directions with apps and so on. Because of its multifunction, mobile phone is hard to be replaced by other technical devices. However, the landline in office just have one function: make a phone call, and such communication has the “ point to point” feature, it’s hard to broadcast something in a large scale or inform some messages through the whole company, maybe it is one of the reason why it would be replaced in future.
But in my opinion, the office landline also has its advantages.
First, simultaneity. As we know , we cannot check our email every second in everywhere, it lead to the delay of some important messages. In contrast, using landline can make it easier in some emergency situations if your employees cannot check the email soon, we can take a phone call and make sure your information is accepted by others. Like the author said in the reports, the booming information may lead you receive tons of emails in office but nothing really important. The telephone, can make a distinction of emergency messages from the junk one.
Second, globalisation. In some developing countries, there are no wifi connection and not everybody has the right or condition to use the computer and internet. How does these countries communicate with outside world? Or how do people in these countries communicate with each other? The answer might be using telephone. It doesn’t mean telephone is a global technical device, but I think it is more global than the internet and computer. So I insist that it plays a more important role in developing countries than the developed world. When it is replaced by other more advanced technology in Europe, it can’t be replaced in most of the world.
Third, culture reason. In some social culture, the face to face meeting is more serious and formal than the telephone interview, and make a telephone to invite somebody is more sincere than send an email. This is why business man still need to go to another company to sign the important contract instead of doing it through internet in current society. The communication, voice, eye contact and smile are really important in humans life and its better than typing and facing the screen.
These are my own opinion about the topic, maybe we can discuss it in future.
I think when this article talks about telephone it is talking about landline not mobile phone. Considering whether telephone will be extinct, we need to think about what kind of communication landline is used in.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of private communication that we communicate with our family and friends in daily life. I suddenly realize I haven’t used telephone for a long time. All of my family members use mobile phone. Seemly, telephone has left from our private space, but we cannot ignore factors of coverage of mobile phone signal, Internet and Wifi. If all the places human beings live have good quality of mobile phone signal, Internet coverage and Wifi connection, I think telephone will disappear from our private life. However, it is too hard, isn’t it?
Once communication refers to office, we need to think about that many factors may influence the future of landline. Although the article pointed out the quiet situation in office currently cause more and more typing instead of much talking, telephone is still existing in office. Especially in Chica, telephone is still an effective office device, most big company have Customer Service Phone. The different situation about use of telephone between China and western countries is resulted from different cultures and life habits. In UK, it is likely that almost all the office communication could finish through e-mail and En el correo. But in Chica about office communication, telephone still plays an essential role. For example, when I communicate with my agency, firstly we contact through telephone talking about major contents(Company normally contact with customers using landline not mobile phone. Customers picking up telephone from a landline number feel it is more reliable than a mobile phone number. Anybody could changes his mobile phone number easily especially cheaters),and then we contact using Skype especially when we calling not conveniently for the time and space. We only use e-mail sending materials and documentaries. Another thing, most of my daily e-mails are from automatic replying e-mails from various websites not direct communication with someone in office before I came to UK. And when we have some troubles in website or skype, facebook etc. ,not all the people just send e-mails to Customer Service Email. Customer Service Phone has to be used every day. And another point whatever landline or mobile phone, simultaneity is an important advantage of them.
So I think telephone will not be extinct, it will be like letters continuing to play an important role in our life.
Thanks Marina for such valuable sharing,
ReplyDeletePersonally I think the era of landline telephone are not at the edge of extinction.
For example, in developing countries like Vietnam, landline telephone systems are maintained regularly in office, especially Governmental office to contact within internal as well as external involved ones. My parents' tax department is still using landlines to contact with business entities who are under authorisation of them and the fact that, personal mobile phone are not allowed to use as a major communication channel when privacy and confidentiality are taken into account.
On the other hand, it is widely known that service industry are still in need of landline telephone. An example of this is telemarketing when companies hire third paries to make calls to consumers, usually for sales purposes. Many nations has been utilising this quick set-up and cheaply cost business form to employ people and gaining profits.
For instance, The outsourcing industry in The Philippines has developed within about a decade to become the global offshore leader in call centre services. Some of this was planned, some was by chance and some was simply due to the fact that The Philippines has an abundance of English speaking people who are comparatively cheap to employ. Therefore, its continued growth of call centre industry is undeniable but also being shaped by internal and external pressures along with the changing nature of the call centre industry as a whole.
As a result, it is believed that landline telephone is not dead respectively. It's only been shifted from its original purpose, which is daily info transaction to a higher form of doing businesses.