The 21st century is being considered as the era of revolutions. Revolutions in the domain of science, health care, technology, economic, education led to the amelioration of many countries round the globe. Digital technology is one of the productive off springs of the technological revolution. Digital technology is a prominently acclaimed invention, which eased & simplified the life of many people across the world. It has remarkably reduced the cost of sharing information. The vast stretch of the internet not only let us transmit the information, but also to connect with each other.
World has become a ‘Global Village’ ever since the digital technology has stepped in. It has helped people in manifolds. Students now, apart from the knowledge they acquire in educational institutions, have access to a vast realm of information through the internet. Moreover, there are so many institutions who have emerged with the concept of online courses and classes.
Digital technology has also succoured the businesses. It is felt that digitizing business is about constantly reviewing what the customer needs and seeing how technology can help meet them and drive enormous revenue. People are doing online conferences with clients located in the different countries. Online interviews for Job- seekers is a bliss. Digital technology has also led to the expansion of trade and commerce, thus affecting the economy in a remunerative manner. People who couldn’t afford to invest huge capitals, have switched to the online business, with the help of small investment. It doesn’t only entail a low investment, but offers a mass reach for the business.
Jake Bright, an African writer says “As the continent transitions from the margins to the mainstream of the global economy, technology is playing an increasingly significant role”.
The emergence of digital wallets is another prodigious feature of digital technology, which has made the payment processing easy and quick. For instance, the demonetization in India- there is specific cash withdrawal limits through ATMs and banks. In this case, digital wallets have acclaimed to be the most convenient and the safest mode of payments. It has provided a sigh of relief to all those who were suffering from the after- effects of demonetization.
The African scenario
Saying it that we are at the dawn of a technological revolution that will change almost every part of our lives – jobs, relationships, economies, industries and entire regions, won’t be an exaggeration. At present, only 40% of Africans have a reliable energy supply, and just 20% of people on the continent have internet access. And yet, with all of Africa’s unique resources – from its young and growing labor force to its largely untapped internal markets – this coming digital revolution offers unprecedented opportunities.
Jake Bright, an African writer says “As the continent transitions from the margins to the mainstream of the global economy, technology is playing an increasingly significant role”. Online payment solutions such as M-Pesa, mobile money transfers have made it easier for service delivery. A number of utility service providers have resorted for online payment, which increases their revenue and improves service delivery at the same time.
The digital advantages
Cisco has predicted that the internet can create around $14.3 billion of economic value for South Africa’s public sector over the next decade and could also assist in resolving some of the country’s most pressing problems. For instance, through the introduction of a smart grid renewable energy system, South Africa could eradicate its excess reliance on coal power. Healthcare could be improved by connecting rural patients with chronic diseases to doctors, without ever having to leave their homes. These are just a few of the many fruitful outcomes that the Internet can make possible for South Africa.
The gigantic size of the continent and countries within it acts as the biggest obstacle in providing the effective health care services. It is envisioned that technology will encourage users to interact with healthcare service providers online, so that centralized services become more efficient and effective in their delivery. The internet is promoting greater use of remote diagnosis, treatment, and education. Technology-related benefits in health care could range from $84 billion to $188 billion by 2025 and the broader social and economic impact of improved health outcomes will be majestic. Some benefits can currently witnessed in reducing counterfeiting, i.e by using mPedigree technology.
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Sectors reaping benefits.
Even the agricultural sector couldn’t stay without getting influenced by the digital revolution. It would grant the access to the farmers to get expertise and information on matters like weather, crop selection, pest control and management and finance. It would also improve access to markets, thus generating better comparable prices for produce. The internet would help in improving the lives of the Africans not only by giving them access to the vast information, but also help them to get connected to the world and be a part of global advancement.
The education sector is one of the significant sectors for the development of the country. It not only prepares the productive assets for the country in the form of educated youths, but also aids in the development of the country. One of the biggest challenges is the gigantic size of this continent. Villages are situated far away from the cities due to which access to good education is very difficult. Students have to travel several miles, for going to school. Even the availability of well qualified teachers is scarce. Digital technology is a boon for boosting up the education sector. Students now have access to a vast database of knowledge. Without the wonders of the internet, students wouldn’t be able to get access to any type of instant information.
Today, distance learning is one of the most trending learning methods. Virtual lessons are slowly taking the place of traditional lectures. Students can organize their as per their convenience, and they can easily pick up the knowledge they desire. There are so many schools where the classes are being conducted online, where the teacher gives a lecture sitting at different location. Digital technology also encourages the development of new teaching methods. Rather than spend an hour or so talking while the students listen, or have them read an entire chapter in silence, teachers and professors now have the option to use advanced teaching methods, such as podcasts, blogs and social media. When working with a particular group or one-on-one, teachers can take advantage of web conferencing technologies other online communication tools.
Healthcare is another sector, which has encountered fruitful consequences through digital technology. It is one such sectors where there is no room for errors and mistakes. The bane of this industry is when medical errors make a patient feel uncomfortable or even puts them in danger, and these incidents can also cause lawsuits that take away from the ability to serve other patients in the future. Structured Healthcare IT can help prevent errors, promote accuracy, and sustain procedural correctness at every level of the organization. With health information, there is always a great concern for privacy, especially in this volatile digital age, where identity thieves and other information crooks are constantly developing new ways to compromise the computer systems you already use. There’s no holding them off by ignoring the issue. The answer is flawless security.
The automotive industry is one of the sectors, which got influenced by digital technology in an efficient manner. As with the smartphone, the automotive industry is gradually being transformed into a software platform, and vehicles are just the tip of the iceberg. Everything is being shaken up: car technology, usage, business models, industrial processes, skills, and marketing. It all started with mobile phones in drivers’ pockets and handbags, which consequently brought them into their vehicles. People now have access to better transportation facilities.
Digital technology is not only making things easy and time efficient, but is also connecting people to each other across the globe. It is certainly writing a new chapter, a chapter which marks the beginning of a new era, an era of safer, secured and better future. Digital technology could also be seen as a boon for Africa. If we talk about the advantages that digital technology will bring to Africa, it will not only bring Africa to the world by connecting it with the rest of the world, but will also aid in the development of the continent by restructuring the traditional methods used in all the sectors, improving the day to day life of people, hence writing new success stories on the global platform.