Effects of Technology on Business Communications by Miranda Morley, Demand Media Technology has enabled us to send faster messages.

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Technology has changed business in many ways, but its affect on communication is arguably the most significant. Indeed, according to Walden University College of Management and Technology, communication through email, text messaging, instant messaging and even budding tools like social networking have been "among the most profound effects of technology on every area of business." However, while technology did make business communications faster and easier, it has also made, at times, communication more distracting and less clear.





Communication Is FasterWhether you need to speak with an employee who is traveling in another state or country or you need to communicate with your supplier half way around the world, technology allows you to do so instantaneously. In fact, thanks to email and text messages, you can now send messages to people in other time zones before you forget without worrying that you will wake them up. In fact, according to Walden University, the Internet has allowed business people to communicate easily regardless of time zone and language issues.


Expanded Communication OpportunitiesTechnology allows individuals to communicate and carry on a business relationship without ever meeting face to face, so people in all parts of the world now have the chance to interact with a company in a rural part of the United States. For example, technology allowed for the emergence of the virtual assistant, a worker who completes tasks for her client online without having ever met him, in the 20th century.

Related Reading: The Impact of Information Technology on Small Business


Communication Must Be More DeliberateAlthough technology has made communication instantaneous, so you don't have to spend hours planning and composing before you communicate and wait for a long period for the reply, it has also made planning deliberate communication periods more important. First, companies that do take advantage of telecommuting and virtual offices need to deliberately plan to communicate with individuals in teams to avoid employees losing touch and to make sure all are working toward the same goals. Second, even if you work in a physical office, instantaneous communication regarding quick decisions and memos cannot replace specific communication times where big decisions are discussed and progress reports given. However, when employees are communicating in multiple ways every day, it can be easy to forget to schedule these types of meetings.


Communication Is More DistractingFrom constantly overhearing cell phone conversations, to the worker who is constantly emailing or texting you to the incessant "ding" of your office's instant messenger, communication tools that were designed to make you more productive can actually do the opposite. Instant communication can make it harder for workers to deal with one task at a time when their work is constantly being interrupted by comments and questions that relate to other projects or even personal issues. In fact, some employees must make an effort to turn off communication devices while they work to meet deadlines.

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Symbol NameIndex Value Change Net / %High Low ABAQ
ABA Community Bank NASDAQ Index225.611.79 ▲ 0.80%226.36223.32 BIXX
BetterInvesting 100 Index245.360.63 ▼ 0.26%246.92245.04BIXR
BetterInvesting 100 Total Return Index 305.843.77 ▼ 1.22%309.38305.1 5BXN
CBOE NASDAQ-100 BuyWrite Index 442.50.40 ▲ 0.09%443.64437.17INDU
Dow Industrials16,801.053.66 ▼ 0.02%16,857.2516,674.04TRAN
Dow Transportation8,305.8166.53 ▲ 0.81%8,319.748,173.88UTIL
Dow15 Utilities552.511.12 ▼ 0.20%556.51551.48FTSELC
FTSE NASDAQ Large Cap Index5,876.081.60 ▼ 0.03%5,904.55,860.21FTSEMC
FTSE NASDAQ Mid Cap Index6,019.279.69 ▲ 0.16%6,066.886,006.38FTSESC
FTSE NASDAQ Small Cap Index4,894.233.71 ▼ 0.08%4,933.234,881.9BKX
KBW Bank Index63.680.11 ▲ 0.17%63.6863.68MFX
KBW Mortgage Finance Index31.030.11 ▲ 0.36%31.0331.03KRX
KBW Regional Banking Index68.690.21 ▲ 0.31%68.6968.69IXBK
NASDAQ Bank2,478.6817.75 ▲ 0.72%2,486.522,452.94NBI
NASDAQ Biotechnology2,811.877.97 ▼ 0.28%2,831.952,769.72NBIE
NASDAQ Biotechnology Equal Weighted Index1,071.320.65 ▼ 0.06%1,071.321,071.32CHXN
NASDAQ China Index149.10.47 ▲ 0.32%149.1149.1CELS
NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Index246.140.74 ▲ 0.30%247.12240.19CEXX
NASDAQ Clean Edge Green Energy Total Return Index254.840.76 ▲ 0.30%255.86248.68NQCICLER
NASDAQ Commodity Crude Oil Index ER877.01N/A879.75850NQCIGCER
NASDAQ Commodity Gold Index ER746.73N/A750.72743.04NQCIHGER
NASDAQ Commodity HG Copper Index ER825.78N/A836.93822.2NQCINGER
NASDAQ Commodity Natural Gas Index ER811.94N/A837.45806.92NQCISIER
NASDAQ Commodity Silver Index ER558.76N/A566.56555.08IXCO
NASDAQ Computer2,318.874.35 ▲ 0.19%2,325.582,285.72DTEC
NASDAQ Dallas Regional Chamber Index823.329.60 ▼ 1.15%823.32823.32DIVQ
NASDAQ Dividend Achievers Index1,269.412.60 ▼ 0.20%1,273.841,257.35DVQT
NASDAQ Dividend Achievers Total Return Index1,209.999.37 ▲ 0.78%1,209.991,209.99IXFIN
NASDAQ Financial-1002,947.715.57 ▲ 0.53%2,957.682,918.87IXHC
NASDAQ Health Care Index631.560.42 ▼ 0.07%634.24622.56IXID
NASDAQ Industrial3,593.268.95 ▲ 0.25%3,599.033,539.17IXIS
NASDAQ Insurance6,060.3349.22 ▲ 0.82%6,078.836,013.17QNET
NASDAQ Internet Index393.411.75 ▲ 0.45%394.26386.41ISRQ
NASDAQ Israel271.852.87 ▲ 1.07%271.85271.85ISRX
NASDAQ Israel Total Return298.513.15 ▲ 1.07%298.51298.51NERV
NASDAQ NeuroInsights Neurotech Index196.970.94 ▲ 0.48%196.97196.97QWND
NASDAQ OMX Clean Edge Global Wind Energy Index66.330.58 ▲ 0.88%66.3366.33QAGR
NASDAQ OMX Global Agriculture Index227.731.36 ▲ 0.60%227.73227.73QCOL
NASDAQ OMX Global Coal Index107.770.39 ▼ 0.36%108.32106.91QGLD
NASDAQ OMX Global Gold & Precious Metals Index183.180.31 ▲ 0.17%183.18183.18QSTL
NASDAQ OMX Global Steel Index122.491.38 ▼ 1.11%122.49122.49QGRI
NASDAQ OMX Government Relief Index1,246.0610.10 ▲ 0.82%1,246.061,246.06IXFN
NASDAQ Other Finance5,467.9713.79 ▲ 0.25%5,482.015,421.86NXTQ
NASDAQ Q-50 Index281.410.94 ▼ 0.33%282.96276.85IXTC
NASDAQ Telecommunications255.550.42 ▼ 0.16%256.3252.1IXTR
NASDAQ Transportation2,852.9930.93 ▲ 1.10%2,852.992,852.99NDXX
NASDAQ-100 Ex-Tech Sector Index2,146.632.98 ▲ 0.14%2,152.412,120.58NDXT
NASDAQ-100 Technology Sector Index2,169.471.04 ▼ 0.05%2,176.272,135.03XCM
PHLX Chemicals Sector547.611.12 ▼ 0.20%548.78539.94DFX
PHLX Defense Sector658.833.93 ▼ 0.59%663.03654.09RXS
PHLX Drug Sector311.361.95 ▼ 0.62%313.97309.52XEX
PHLX Europe Sector460.253.77 ▼ 0.81%463.7455.64XAU
PHLX Gold/Silver Sector81.630.62 ▲ 0.77%81.9680.22HGX
PHLX Housing Sector189.071.28 ▲ 0.68%189.49186.25SHX
PHLX Marine Shipping Sector87.530.44 ▲ 0.51%87.884.96MXZ
PHLX Medical Device Sector516.46.20 ▲ 1.22%517.64508.05OSX
PHLX Oil Service Sector257.252.43 ▼ 0.94%259.09251.14XRE
PHLX Retail Sector202.592.67 ▼ 1.30%202.59202.59SOX
PHLX Semiconductor Sector619.663.70 ▼ 0.59%622.11608.12SXP
PHLX Sports Sector220.621.48 ▼ 0.67%220.62220.62UTY
PHLX Utility Sector539.550.83 ▼ 0.15%543.38538.83RUI/E
Russell 1000 Growth908.180.44 ▲ 0.05%910.62897.46RUI/P
Russell 1000 Value972.910.07 ▼ 0.01%976.32963.1RUTE2KG
Russell 2000 Growth653.357.60 ▲ 1.18%654.97640.29RUTP2KV
Russell 2000 Value1,394.6711.66 ▲ 0.84%1,399.071,375.71SVO
SIG Energy MLP Index436.010.30 ▼ 0.07%437.06426.2EPX
SIG Oil Exploration & Production Index450.972.72 ▼ 0.60%453439.39HAUL
Wilder NASDAQ OMX Global Energy Efficient Transport Index265.371.21 ▲ 0.46%265.37265.37

The Good A bigger, crisp display, improved LTE and Wi-Fi speeds, better camera autofocus, bumped-up storage capacities to 128GB at the top end, and NFC Apple Pay mobile wallet features on the horizon.

The Bad In early tests, the iPhone 6's battery doesn't fare any better than last year's model. Some Android phones fit an even-larger 5-inch screen into the same size frame. It lacks the optical image stabilization of the bigger, more expensive 6 Plus.

The Bottom Line The iPhone 6 delivers a bigger screen while remaining easy to handle, with plenty of features to satisfy everyone -- and the promise of Apple Pay on the horizon to potentially sweeten the deal even further.

I'm sitting on my sofa. I pull out my phone to check sports scores. Wait, which phone was it again? I'm starting to lose track. For a second, I think it's the 6 Plus. Wait, it's the 6.

I've been using the iPhone 6 and the 6 Plus side by side for a week, and I can tell you this: both of Apple's new iPhones have better, big displays. And both make the iPhone 5S' screen seem small. But I'm having a hard time picking which one I prefer. That's pretty frustrating. At least I know this: the iPhone 6 is a lot like the Plus...minus a few features.

For years, Android phones have shipped with displays in expansive, 5-inch-ish sizes, but Apple has stubbornly insisted on the necessity of a small screen for one-handed operation. The iPhone 5S, while powerful, hit a wall in viewing room: its 4-inch screen was among the smallest on the market, and, frankly, I found it limiting.