Re: Formulating a Working Definition of Technology

by Nisha Gidharry - Monday, 5 October 2015, 8:59 PM

I could not find a link to the perspectives of technology in the unit, therefore I decided to be a
reflective practitioner and by virtue of that a problem solver. In my research, I came across
two perspectives of technology; a historical perspective and a business perspective which I
used to create my own definition.
The historical perspective brought forward is more circular in nature and sees technology
more as a process engaged in to create a product. Here, technology is also considered as
the application of knowledge and a means for solving problems to create a product. Under
this perspective, technology is seen as a technique as it focuses on the way things are
done. Historians also see technology as beingdependant on the context of circumstances
as well as influential as according to them, it can exert a powerful influence on choices.
Bigelow (1829) noted that technology encompasses principles, processes and arts which
involve the application of science which may be useful.
The perspective of technology from a business view is more prescriptive in nature. This
perspective explains actions to be taken by technology to give a better understanding of the
definition of technology. Under this school of thought, technology is seen as thepurposeful
application of information in the design, production and utilization of goods and service
in the organization of human activities. Here, technology is seen as a process and a
means of applying information to solve problems and create a product.

Tentative Definition
Technology is concerned with intangible and tangible resources or media or means of getting
things done.
Discussion: I think that this definition encompasses both the historical and business
perspectives of the term technology. For historians, their main focus in defining technology is
that it is able to get things done. However, unlike the Historical perspective, which notes that
technology is not autonomous, the tentative definition can lead one to believe that
technology works independently from human choices and influences. Similarly, from a
business perspective, one can assume that human beings interact with technology to do the
actions that it specifies or as suggested by historians, get things done.
My New Definition
Therefore, now that I am more informed, I would like to build on the tentative definition from
the unit as in my opinion it may provide a better working definition of technology.
Technology is concerned with useful intangible and tangible resources or media which can
be influenced by human actions and choices to be used as the purposeful application of
information as a means of getting things done.

Reference
Historical Perspectives on Technology, Culture, and Society. (2015). Retrieved October 6,
2015, from http://www.historyoftechnology.org/publications/booklets.html