Review the technologies that forecasters expect will change communication processes in the future. Which technologies does your college or university use? Which technologies have you seen in your work experiences?

TECHNOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION

Some forecasters predict that technology and communication will combine and lead to major changes in organizational communication processes in the future. Although these technologies are available to almost any organization, if they are to improve an organization’s communication processes they must be used in various combinations. Existing and expected combinations of these technologies will cause nearly revolutionary changes in the way people will communicate in the future. These emerging technologies encourage the development of the “virtual groups” described in Chapter 10 and the “virtual organizations” described in Chapter 17, “Organizational Design.” The telephone will remain a major communication device in developed nations. Major changes will come from fiber optics and new satellites. Digital cellular telephones allow communication among cellular users in most parts of the world. Laptop, notepad, and tablet personal computers (PCs) will include digital cellular facsimile devices and wireless Internet connectors. Combine these devices with digital communication satellites, and you can quickly see the flexibility and mobility of future communication.