Technology

• what is e-commerce

  the act of buying or selling a product using an electronic system such as the Internet
• what is m-commerce

  buying or selling a product using a smart phone or similar handheld device
• benefits to a customer of using e-commerce

  -convenience-products can be viewed and purchased at any time of day from any part of the world

  -ability to see reviews of products

  -access to online support or chat

  -prices may be lower as online businesses do not have to pay expensive high street rents

  -customers may be able to compare products before purchase between different firms to gain the lowest prices

  -personal info & payment details can be saved-quick checkout
• benefits of social media

  -provides a quick and easy way to communicate with large numbers of existing and potential customers

  -raises awareness of the business

  -easy way to monitor satisfaction and collect feedback
• advantages of technological change

  -new products encourage customers to buy more often

  -if a business is first to market they have a competitive advantage

  -new production methods increase output and lower costs

  -fewer workers needed-easier to recruit and manage

  -better communication
• disadvantages of technological change

  -expensive to research and develop new products

  -businesses that do not develop their products could lose sales and market share

  -new production methods are expensive

  -workers will need new training, some workers may refuse
• improvements in technology

  -automation: equipment (machines) are controlled by a computer, very few human employees needed

  -mechanisation-production again done by machines but operated by humans

  -CAD: computer aided design. This is used to design new products and can show all sides of a product instead of having to draw them all.

  -CAM: computer aided manufacture. Computers monitor the production process and control machines or robots on the factory floor
• advantages of improvements in technology

  -productivity is greater

  -Greater job satisfaction as boring jobs are done by machines

  -Businesses offer more training as job types have changed

  -better quality products produced

  -better customer service

  -quicke communication and less paperwork

  -more information available so quicker decisions can be made
• disadvantages of improvements in technology

  -unemployment rises

  -expensive to invest in new technology

  -Employees are unhappy with changes in the workplace

  -new technology is changing all the time so machines and equipment very quickly becomes outdated
• CAM advantages

  • Machines can be set to run 24h a day
  • Faster & more accurate than traditional machines
  • High level of performance for batch & mass production
  • Work off CAD files
• CAM disadvantages

  • Expensive set up cost/training time
  • Machinery needs specialist Workers to Programme and maintain machines
  • Unemployment created to Workers as machines replacing many people within the manufactoring processes
• advantages of CAD

  -designs can be drawn and developed quickly

  -alterations to designs can be a click of a button

  -designs can be repeated and easily reused

  -better quality designs that present a more realistic presentation

  -designs can be easily shown in many angles
• disadvantages of CAD

  -need training and skilled workers to use these programmes

  -having to keep up to date with software changes and improvement upgrades

  -software can be expensive to but and rent

  -computer capabilities and storage size