Information technology can make a major contribution to sustainable development.
ID: 159857 • Letter: I
Question
Information technology can make a major contribution to sustainable development. Explain, giving a practical example for two of the four strategies (one each) that can be used to further develop this field and create economic, social and environmental value. (4 marks)
4 strategies are...
a. Build a real e-company: dematerialise and digitise
b. Maximise efficiency and minimise waste (e.g. make the paperless office a reality)
c. Create tools for sustainability
d. Network with nature and re-design products into services
They need to write down 2 strategies and one example for each strategy. Some examples are as follows: By storing files on laser disks or other electronic media, sending manuals in electronic format, and offering customers online records, e-company can save large quantities of paper, staff time and money. Through a shift to electronic record keeping and better inventory companies have the potential to save money in reduced warehouse space. Such a dematerialization activity may lead to attain the goal of sustainable development, but social aspects needs to be investigated.
Explanation / Answer
Technology has become an integral part of our life.
Maximizing efficiency of humans can be considered as biggest advantage of technology. Paperwork has been resuced to a large extend and further steps are being taken to make it completely paper less. For example e commerce industry. They are working as carier agents only witj storing all the information on portals and clouds which can be acess. Many hospitals now provide reports via mail and save patient details which can be accessed further.
This type of development is also sustainable because it is more nature friendly and nature favours it. Minimum resources are utilized . Data can be saved for generations and also economic. Tools like google drive and cloud computing. Big data and data sheets are available for sorting the data.
Social networking has been used as an effective tool to get connected Reading news over e paper has given power to individual to learn fast.
Flipkart has been a zero inventory company. They facilitate the connection between the dealer and consumer.
These are some of the examples suuporting how technology has positively changed our world