The rapid advancement in Information Technology (IT) has changed the way businesses used to operate. Communication messages and mails can now be sent just a finger touch away, compared to the earlier times when messages took weeks and months to get delivered. The rapid expansion in telecommunication industry is also one reason that encourages virtual environment, while minimizing the need for business travel. Even though the benefits of Information Technology are numerous, there are drawbacks to its uses aswell.
High Cost of Implementation
All businesses incur some costs in the form of start-up costs when it is implementing any type of Information Technology system. Several IT vendors compel business owners to purchase the user license for each individual that will be working with the system, in addition to the cost of hardware and software. The cost of training provided to the employees for using new technology is another added cost for the business. Even though many latest technology systems are easy to use, advanced systems still necessitates instructions by proficient specialists.
Besides the start-up cost, it is extremely expensive to maintain information technology systems. All of these operating expenses add to the drawbacks of using Information Technology in businesses.
Job Elimination
Employing Information technology into the business operations can result in saving time when carrying out the job effectively. Paperwork is minimized and financial transactions are calculated automatically within few seconds. While many businesses view this as a benefit, there are troublesome effects to such levels of automation. Implementing technology requires less physical labor and more capital-intensive work. For this reason, the tasks performed by employees are now done by computer systems. This is one biggest drawback of Information Technology as it eliminates jobs and leads to isolation of clients.
Security Violation
Businesses often seek benefit by implementing electronic database to store information in a more quickly and organized way. Formerly individuals used to sift through stacks of paper records to retrieve data. By implementing appropriate technology, data can be obtained within a touch of a button.
Although, Information Technology system allows a business to operate at a faster pace, it is not without its flaws. These systems are susceptible to security violations, especially when they are accessible on the internet. If appropriate security settings and methods are not implemented, individuals may access confidential data. Personal data may be misrepresented and destroyed for unpleasant purposes.
