3: Where Is Technology in Society Now?

Society has witnessed many changes over recent years and arguably one of the most significant and marked changes to the way in which humans live their daily lives is the increasing and unavoidable impact of technology. Talk of ‘technology everywhere’ is common – its presence and influence embedded in all aspects of our lives – often without our choice. Because of this, many would argue that human agency, both indirectly and directly, will continue to be challenged more than ever.

In Chapter 2, we have already introduced how technological changes are creating systematic inequalities between groups in society. In this chapter, we expand this discussion further and look at the current technology landscape and explore where technology is in society now, to provide you with an understanding of some key issues that you, as individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), practitioners and academics, should be aware of.