Essay: Managing Organizations and Leading People - Technology's Role

This essay provides an analysis of Charles Eisenstein's work, focusing on his views regarding technology, its benefits, and its limitations. It examines the positive and negative impacts of technology on society and the environment, acknowledging the power humans possess to manipulate the environment. The essay explores the author's perspective on the current state of the world, emphasizing the need to balance technological advancements with their adverse effects. It also discusses the author's viewpoint on how to address issues within the workplace by implementing policies that regulate technology, ensuring worker safety, and mitigating the negative impacts of hazardous substances. The essay references Eisenstein's works, along with additional sources to support its claims.

Running head: Managing Organizations & leading People
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Managing Organizations & leading People
Name
Institution

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What do you think about Eisenstein’s work?
Eisenstein’s work is comprehensive as it covers both the benefits and limitations of the
gifts of technology and culture possessed by humans. He considers into depth and analyses
positive and negative impacts of technology in our lives and on the environment. Eisenstein
acknowledges the power and ability that human beings possess to manipulate and control the
environment. However, he views technology as a curse rather than a gift given that it has
contributed to destruction of the environment, injustices and promoted violence. Eisenstein’s
view is more of comparative as he considers all possibilities emanating from the use of
technology. He is committed to his work given that he tries to find loop holes on something that
many have praised and would not spend a single second analyzing its limitations. He goes ahead
to explain how technology positively and negatively influences our lives going all the way to the
history of using coal to present day of using electricity (Eisenstein, 2007). He attributes genocide
to technology and questions whether credit should be given to achievements in art, music,
science and technology at the expense of humans suffering due to the impacts associated with
this achievements.
What are your views about the state of our world and the environment we experience
today?
Technology has tremendously improved our world but same cannot be said about our
environment. As a result of technology we have had both positive impacts and negative impacts
(Gardner & Gould, 1989). Due to technology, we have electricity that has made our life simpler,
travelling has become easier and it would be hard to ignore the massive improvements on the

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communication sector and health since the end of Second World War. Over many years, violence
has increased as we have witnessed genocide in several states owing to technology
improvements of weapons. Our environment has been highly polluted with the rise of many
industries due to technology. Actually we have a system that concentrates on improving
technology day by day ignoring its impact on people and the environment (Eisenstein, 2013).
How do you see yourself, relative to your work (or relative to the type of organization
that you would like to work for or type of work you would like to do), in terms of addressing any
of the issues faced by us today?
It’s a dilemma situation given that the more the time goes new technologies emerge to
meet the current needs of our society. The task involves striking a balance between the positive
and negative impacts of technology on our world today. In relation to the type of organization
that I would like to work for or the work that I would like to do will encompass addressing the
benefits of technology alongside its negative impacts. I would wish for policies regulating
technology to be implemented at the place of my work so as to regulate and reduce the adverse
effects of technology. For example, if it is chemicals that we deal in, it will be prudent to have
policies that address the issues of safety and proper dressing so as to avoid the negative impacts
of getting into contact with the hazardous chemicals. It would be important for the state to take
into consideration the impact of technology in all work places and ensure that all worker’s safety
is taken care of (Black & Lynch, 2001).

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References
Black, S. E., & Lynch, L. M. (2001). How to compete: The impact of workplace practices and
information technology on productivity. Review of economics and statistics. Review of
economics and statistics, 83(3). Retrieved from
https://doi.org/10.1162/00346530152480081
Eisenstein, C. (2013). The ascent of humanity: Civilization and the human sense of self. North
Atlantic books.
Eisenstein, C. (2007). The Ascent of Humanity. Panethea press. Harrisburg, United States.
Gardner, G. T., & Gould, L. C. (1989). Public Perception of the Risks and Benefits of
Technology. Risk Analysis, 9(2). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1539-
6924.1989.tb01243.x