Global impact: 4 ways technology has connected our world

The rapid development of business and personal technology has revolutionized our world within the space of a handful of generations. One of the greatest benefits of this revolution has been the progress made toward an actual global community. As our digital world increases in speed and accuracy, people from various nations and cultures have the opportunity to share common experiences almost instantaneously.

1. Conquering Language Barriers

Technology has the ability to unite different cultures through various means. The key variable to this equation is communication. Rising technologies, like NTT Docomo’s Hanashite Hon’yaku, VRI translations, Google Translate, or Microsoft’s work with deep neural networks, are forever altering the way that translation and interpretation from one language to another are accomplished. Nearly instantaneous interpreting is breaking down the barrier of language. Smart devices greatly aid these new language-based technologies in delivering consistent and convenient service. This advancement in technology is only the beginning. The true magnitude of how it will change our daily communication between nations and cultures has yet to be measured.

2. Transforming Global Commerce

Business entities have historically sought ways to leverage each other’s products, services, and technologies to satisfy a local market need. With our emerging global economy, the whole world can be a potential market. Online retailers have utilized personal shopping carts, customer preferences, and focused marketing campaigns to appeal to local audiences, while also allowing customers to choose from products and services offered worldwide. Customers can more thoroughly research their potential purchases to find the best fit for their needs. Retailers can gather information about potential customers to pinpoint interests and trends. Bank transactions, investment opportunities, and retail sales from only 20 years ago would be nearly unrecognizable in today’s digitally-driven economic world. The sheer speed of technology-based communication and product/service delivery has propelled international and domestic trade possibilities. Of course, with varying national economies being so closely knit, the rise or fall of financial institutions can have an astonishing impact on the occasionally precarious balance between global and local commerce.

3. Methods of Conducting Business

The world’s boardrooms and conference centers have also been greatly impacted by forward-thinking communication tools. Whether a business is centered in a small town in the middle of America or a rushing metropolis like Tokyo, it can possess the same capabilities to conduct business with partners around the globe. Skype, email, and presentation tools like GoToMeeting can make instant communication and organized meetings possible. Skype is the world’s telephone; it’s the access point where everyone can be connected. While many companies still depend on face-to-face meetings, the rising costs of travel may soon make the digital conference or meeting the standard for business. The convenience and savings that are possible with the aid of advanced technology are convincing, at the very least.

4. Establishing Personal Connections

The very nature of personal connection has been revolutionized by social interfaces like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. In many ways, this aspect of technology may have influenced personal communication and business opportunities more in the past decade than any other advancement. Through this networked technology, new modes of language, marketing, and instant global awareness have been achieved. The daily lives and interactions of people have been transformed by the seemingly simple idea of delivering a message electronically. The role technology has played in the global landscape cannot be overstated. The result of these increasingly convenient, quick, and affordable advances is a more united world. People of various nations, languages, and cultures have the element of technology as a binding force. Past debates, centered on technology’s effects, focused on how these advances could lead to more isolation across the board. On the contrary, the 21^st century promises a much more aware and connected world than many people could have ever imagined. * * * “Global” image courtesy of Shutterstock.