Systems and Technology

Ever since the onset of the Industrial revolution, technology has played a big part in human society, culture, and commerce. The introduction of computers and digital equipment into design and manufacturing during the later part of last century have catalysed this progress and sped it up faster than ever before. All modern industry is shaped through information technology in one way or another, and for many sectors it is integral to every single aspect of day-to-day operations. There are four separate industrial economic sectors operating in most nations today: the primary sector, the secondary sector, the tertiary sector, and the quaternary sector. While all of these sectors are reliant on technology, the later levels are more dependent and often defined exclusively by technological progress.

The primary sector deals largely with raw materials, either through farming or mining activities. While this area is the least dependent on information technology, lots of advances in agricultural and mining activity have come about directly because of computers. The secondary sector of the economy is linked with manufacturing, raw material refinement, and construction, all of which use automated and technological procedures and equipment. The tertiary sector is involved with services and distribution, and is heavily dependent on information technology for communication and management. The quaternary sector is relatively new, is focused on design, research and development, and is conducted almost exclusively in a digital environment.

The modern industrial landscape is shaped and influenced more and more by information technology every day, and this is guaranteed to continue well into the future. Technology and computers are so well linked to the economies and cultures of the developed world, that life would be almost unthinkable without them. Perhaps the biggest effect that computers have had on the industrial landscape is through the automation that they provide to all levels of the industrial sector. What was once labour intensive work can now be managed and controlled through the coupling of mechanical machinery and digital computers. No-one is sure exactly what the future has in store for the world of industry, but it is sure to be shaped and influenced by the evolution of information technology.