Leadership skills and technology.
Name
Institution
The technological evolution model to use.
The term evolution in technology is often referred to as technological advancement. It also refers to how complex technologies become over time (Hein, 2013). The evolution of technology can be elaborated in terms of rationalization, which is the process of making technologies more efficient. Efficiency in technology means the ratio of input to output resources of both human and natural capital. Therefore, technological evolution refers to the spanning of parameters from low efficiency to high efficiency.
In this case, the most applicable model is a fitness landscape model. This model helps in knowing the efficiency of the technology and its relation to other technologies. It is also three dimensional to represent the technological landscape. It looks like a rugged mountain range, a feature that gives it an advantage of elevation that represents how efficient technology is. For a technology to have a capability and qualify to be fit for solving most of the problems at hand, it has to be at the top of these mountains. It is at the peak of these mountains that every technological evolution, either through rationalization, innovation, or evolution, tends to be on the highest peak (grenny & maxfield, 2017). However, nowadays, it is difficult to find a stand-alone technology, they coexist to form a functionality service and also to better their capacity to interoperate alongside other technologies to provide needed differentiated functionality.
Application of leadership skill on the innovation of a new 3D printing technology.
Innovation comes from people who are capable of generating and applying ideas and knowledge in society and workplaces. However, it is difficult to link a specific skill to a particular innovation. Therefore, in an organization that relies much on the efficiency of technology, requires a particular person charged with the responsibility of ensuring proper output to have the following innovative skills in order to keep the company on the topmost peak of the technology. These skills are discussed in the following paragraphs.
The leader needs to have Cognitive Skills. These skills enable him or her to think critically and creatively. Cognitive skills involve continuous learning. This is to means that they need to be well informed and updated, especially with new technological trends (Hein, 2013). Having been updated, the leader will be able to know and understand the new development of the printing machines. He will also be able to differentiate the difference in efficiency based on the rationality and competence of various companies that are producing 3D printers like the HP, Toshiba, and apple, among others.
In the same regard, the cognitive skills of a leader make him or her to be in a position of learning new things and skills. This is to say that they work through delegates or other persons. A wise leader will employ this skill because, in real-life situations, there is no leader who knows it all, especially in Information and technology, which is much deeper and complex. Therefore, complement their strengths and weaknesses. For example, if someone is better, you, as a leader in a particular area of operation, make use of him and learn through him. Also, those who need more knowledge in some area they should be provided with.
Behavioral Skills are also important aspects in leading that a skilled leader should have. They include the ability to manage risks and solve problems (grenny & maxfield, 2017). To start with the ability to solve problems, a leader needs to be someone intelligent with the ability to understand his fellow workmates and finds out a solution to various problems they are facing. To do so, it has to be flexible in the manner that he or she can head down and put more focus on solving the problem at hand without being compromised.
Consequently, for a leader to be in a position of identifying and managing risks, the person needs to identify a specific area that needs growth and improvement or identify specific areas that are at high risk. For example, in a 3D printer, the major risk is knocking or over and underpainting. As a skilled leader, you need to know I identify the cause and the solutions. Find out whether the problem is with the sensors or other technicalities, or the company is the problem, or is it the operator with the problem, or are you using outdated technology. After finding a problem, the device has a way to fix it appropriately.
Functional skills like reading, writing, and numeracy are basic and very important in reading and giving instructions, especially on the launching of new technology (grenny & maxfield, 2017). Similarly, the arithmetic calculation skills enable the calculation of input versus output, which are the most important factors of production.
Finally, the leader needs to have technical skills, which include Information technology Management, project management, and research techniques. These are skills that are applied to put the printer into action. They are important for safety and efficiency. A leader needs this skill so as to be able to demonstrate and teach others.
Question two.
Technological advancement relies on various models. Such models include; the dynamic landscape-it occurs in a situation where various businesses interdependent on each other for one reason or several. A good example is companies that are producing products with Bluetooth. Any alteration in the form of Bluetooth affects the entire ecosystem (grenny & maxfield, 2017). The adaptive cycle model is another form that adapts to the evolution change in three dynamic steps. The first step is by the provision of various solutions; second, it is the device of technology to help solve the problem and finally to evaluate and see which technology best suits the problem in the processes of evolution.
The growth phase is another model that can provide new fertile grooming grounds for new technologies (Hein, 2013). It allows for the emergence of new solutions like 3D printing machines. It is mostly filled with small startup technologies that are in garages in the process of development. During this period, the economic scale is used to create barriers for entry by other companies to provide maximum time for maximum efficiency and flexibility towards change. However, at the release phase, various variations occur, and at times, the resources used to groom a certain technology is lost as it becomes more rigid.
The final model is a problem space where the current technology gives rise to new technology. Good examples are engineering, giving birth to the industrial revolution. This not only finds a solution to the current problem but also redefines the problems in that as time goes by, another invention comes in and takes over the current technology. The process is referred to as thinking outside the box.
Benefits and risks associated with the new technology trends.
As viewed earlier, the race of technological advancement is continuous. As a result, they carry with them some advantages and disadvantages. To start with, the advantages-technological advancement has adverse advantages; they include; increased productivity and efficiency through automated business processes-discussing important business issues globally through the high speed inter than ever. This has changed the way major companies and large businesses chase their objectives and goals for the development of software applications (apps). Business costs have also been reduced. This has been achieved in various organizations that incorporate new technologies that increase efficiency and output. This is to reduce the cost of production by reducing workers and increasing speed. Technology has enhanced mobility. This is to say that various businesses can be run and managed from home, or anywhere without necessarily coming to the workplace. This has made possible development of various organizational databases where an employee can access and tackle his or her tasks on time, thus increasing the revenues and productivity of the business. Business communications have also been made more effective than before. Employees and workers are nowadays connected through the internet by mobile device. For this reason, they save time by solving various problems from wherever they are. Meetings and video conferences can be arranged and held online. Businesses can also advertise their products online and sell them online. Customer feedback can also be gotten online.
The disadvantages of technology include; some of these technologies are expensive, and therefore, not all business organizations can acquire them. As a result, those that can acquire them will be more advanced than those that cannot. Technology has also rendered severe individuals jobless. Because some of the technologies tend to limit human labor and improve efficiency; as a result, a good number of people may go home. Data security is also another problem. This is because private or personal data cannot easily be kept safe. The reason is, just a single breach can cause large amounts of data to fall into the wrong hands of foreign enemies, terrorists, malign entities, and criminals. In addition to that, there is an increased digital media manipulation. This is because digital media like audio, photographs, and videos can easily be edited, thus making it difficult to identify what is real and what is not. Social media gadgets like dating websites, computer gaming, and massaging are too addictive. This is because one wants to know more and more. As a result, most people waste a lot of time and money with no returns. Finally, crime and terrorism are promoted by digital media. Various persons like prostitutes, drug dealers, and terrorists take advantage of social media to promote themselves.
References
grenny, joseph, & maxfield, David. (2017, April 21). Leaders Need Different Skills to Thrive in Tech. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/10/leaders-need-different-skills-to-thrive-in-tech
Hein, R. (2013, October 23). 16 Traits of Great IT Leaders. CIO. https://www.cio.com/article/2381555/16-traits-of-great-it-leaders.html