Internet access here in South Africa is a bit difficult this week. Monday no problem, but now there are generic problems across the whole region. At the moment I can get email and use Skype, but cannot access the web. I won't know if I can blog via Vienna until I try. So if I don't respond to email or blog less frequently then you know why.
I have also realised to day just how frustrating it is to not know if you can connect. To know you cannot for 12 hours on a flight is no stress, to know that you might be able to, but with no certainty is immensely stressful. It all about expectation but these days I find it very difficult not know know that I can have a solid hour of connectivity at least once a day. Some years ago I didn't use email, dictated email and had a bleeped which told me if I needed to come off the road and make a phone call. I also remember on an MBA reunion, one of our members had one of the first mobile phones. It looked like a real phone and was in a large box on a strap hung over his shoulder.
We have co-evolved with out technology, and the trouble with co-evolution is that you cannot go backwards. Once the interdependency is there it cannot be broken. Have I gained or last capacity during that process?
Comments (1)
It's an interesting question for any individual, group, and organization (private sector, public sector or otherwise) .. how deeply and widely has the use of technology and interconnectedness woven itself into the daily operations and fundamental functioning ?
I suspect very strongly that the answer to that supports the ongoing spread and growth of social computing (with its attendant benefits, opportunities, challenges and disadvantages) throughout the information-and-knowledge-based work environment (harkens back to your podcast on 2.0 and knowledge work).
As you say, can't go back .. what remains to be seen is how this permenent embedding in our lives changes structures, processes and decades of Taylorism as the dominant model for designing work and the structures in which the work takes place.
Posted by Jon Husband | March 5, 2008 4:25 PM
Posted on March 5, 2008 16:25