Assignment Content Competency: This Competency Will Allow Yo

Assignment Contentcompetencythis Competency Will Allow You To Demonstr

You have recently started working for a local department store in the Operations Department. Upon settling into your new position, you come to realize that they have outdated business practices. In your past work experience, you have utilized various forms of technology to complete daily job functions and have been part of updating technology to meet the demands of your organization.

Technological advances can address all areas of the business including, but not limited to, how applicants apply for positions, the type of phone and computer systems operated, cash register functions, marketing methods, etc. You have shared your thoughts with your supervisor, and he has tasked you with putting together a narrated presentation, with visuals for your peers, to share the overall benefits of utilizing modern technology to help improve overall efficiency for the business and help to expand the consumer base for the store. For this narrated visual presentation, you are to reflect upon and include discussion of the following topics or categories:

• Demonstrate how digital and technological growth can assist the organization: Provide a definition for digital growth. Explain how digital growth has impacted organizations. Describe how digital growth impacts society as a whole and your store in the future.
• Demonstrate how an individual creates their own digital identity, how it can impact organizational identity, and how these can be impacted by changes to technology: Explain some key methods of identity development. How can technology and digital forums help with personal or organizational identity formation? What do individuals and employees as a whole have to do with developing the identity of an organization?
• Demonstrate challenges and benefits to upgrading technological resources: Describe main sociological theories that can describe an individual or a store's ability to access technological resources. Identify some key examples of societal change due to technology. What does this imply for your store? What is the digital divide and how can this impact the use of technology in your store? Examine your organization through a sociological perspective and explain benefits of change to the organization: Conflict Theory - How is it defined and how would a Conflict Theorist justify upgrades in technology? Symbolic Interaction Theory - How is it defined and how would a Symbolic Interactionist justify or explain the need for upgrades to technology? Outline additional theories that can help explain the need for technological growth at your store.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate the evolution of language within online environments and with the use of enhanced technology: Examine some of the changes to technology that have impact language and communication. Discuss differences in access to and familiarity with technology such as generational differences, socioeconomic differences, etc. How might this impact your store? Consider how communication could change within your store for employees and consumers with various types of technology.
• Demonstrate how deviance in the physical and virtual world could impact your store: Provide a definition of deviance in both the physical and the virtual world. Explain how deviant behaviors have led to changes at your store and what considerations should be taken into account when upgrading technology at your store. Consider Conflict Theory and Symbolic Interaction theory and how they would explain deviance and a method to overcome it at your store.

On your final narrated visual, provide a summary that directly ties together your visuals and discussion points, and provide an overall statement of the benefits of updating technological resources to help the store run more efficiently. Before recording your final narration, rehearse your presentation as if you are delivering it to a live audience so that you are fully prepared. Your presentation should be fluent and fluid in nature so that it is clear that you are the expert on the material that you are presenting to your audience.

Paper For Above instruction

The rapid evolution of technology has profoundly transformed organizational operations, societal interactions, and individual identities. This paper explores the multifaceted impact of digital growth and technological advancement on a retail environment, emphasizing their benefits, challenges, and sociological implications.

Understanding Digital Growth and Its Organizational Impact

Digital growth refers to the expansion and enhancement of digital technologies that improve operational efficiency, customer engagement, and organizational agility. It encompasses innovations such as automation, data analytics, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. In organizational contexts, digital growth allows businesses to streamline processes, reduce costs, and enhance service delivery (Brynjolfsson & McAfee, 2014). For example, implementing online application systems and digital inventory management can significantly optimize store operations.

The impact on organizations is substantial. Digital growth facilitates real-time data-driven decision-making, personalized marketing strategies, and improved supply chain management (Porter & Heppelmann, 2014). Societally, digital growth fosters connectedness, democratizes information, and catalyzes economic development. In the future, its influence will intensify, leading to smarter retail environments and more tailored consumer experiences (Kane et al., 2015).

Digital Identity and Organizational Development

Individuals create their digital identities through social media profiles, online interactions, and digital footprints, which reflect their preferences, values, and social roles (Goffman, 1959). Such identities influence organizational identity by shaping brand perception and employee engagement. Advanced technology and online forums enable individuals to express their personal identities, fostering a sense of community, belonging, and shared culture within organizations (Turkle, 2011).

Employees contribute to the organizational identity by embodying its values and communicating its brand through digital platforms. Changes in technology can either reinforce or challenge existing identities, necessitating continuous adaptation and cultural change within the organization (Albert & Whetten, 1985).

Sociological Perspectives on Technological Challenges and Benefits

Sociological theories offer valuable insights into access and adaptation to technological resources. Conflict theory, rooted in the ideas of Karl Marx, views technological disparities as a reflection of social inequalities, where dominant groups control technological access, exacerbating the digital divide (Marx, 1867). For a store, this implies the need to ensure equitable technology access and address disparities among employees and customers.

Symbolic interactionism emphasizes how shared symbols and meanings influence technological adoption. It explains that technological upgrades should consider employees' perceptions and social interactions to facilitate smooth integration (Blumer, 1969). Society has experienced societal changes due to technology, such as instant communication and e-commerce, which have transformed consumer expectations and business practices (Ritzer & Dean, 2015).

The digital divide remains a challenge, potentially marginalizing customers and employees lacking access or familiarity with new technologies. Addressing this gap is vital for inclusive growth.

From a sociological standpoint, conflict theory justifies technological upgrades by promoting social equity, while symbolic interactionists advocate for understanding organizational culture and perceptions to ensure successful implementation.

Evolving Language and Communication in Technological Contexts

Technological advancements have redefined language and communication. Digital platforms foster new forms of expression such as emojis, memes, and abbreviated language, influencing everyday conversation (Herring, 2013). Generational differences significantly impact familiarity with and access to these technologies, with younger employees often more adept than older counterparts (R Schatz & Lowry, 2020).

In a retail setting, technological literacy affects business communication, training, and customer service. Enhancing technological competence among staff and consumers can improve engagement, increase sales, and foster a more inclusive environment.

Deviance in Physical and Virtual Contexts

Deviance refers to behaviors that violate social norms, in both physical and virtual realms ( Becker, 1963). In a store, cyberloafing, virtual theft, or fraudulent transactions exemplify virtual deviance, whereas shoplifting or misconduct are physical deviance.

Deviant behaviors have prompted organizational responses such as stricter policies and technological safeguards. Theories like conflict theory explain deviance as a response to social inequalities, while symbolic interactionism views it as a consequence of social interactions and perceptions (Sykes & Matza, 1957). Addressing deviance involves creating a culture of accountability and understanding the social dynamics involved.

Technological upgrades must consider potential misuse and implement measures to prevent deviant behaviors, fostering a secure and ethical environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, embracing technological growth offers significant benefits for retail organizations by enhancing operational efficiency, enriching organizational and personal identities, and fostering societal engagement. However, it also presents challenges rooted in social inequalities and behavioral complexities. A thoughtful application of sociological perspectives can guide effective integration of new technologies, ensuring inclusive, ethical, and sustainable progress. Ultimately, upgrading technological resources enables retailers to remain competitive and responsive to the evolving needs of society and their consumers.

References

• Albert, S., & Whetten, D. A. (1985). Organizational Identity. In L. L. Cummings & B. M. Staw (Eds.), Research in Organizational Behavior (pp. 263-295). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
• Becker, H. S. (1963). Outsiders: Studies in the Sociology of Deviance. The Free Press.
• Blumer, H. (1969). Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method. University of California Press.
• Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Anchor Books.
• Herring, S. C. (2013). Discourse in Web 2.0: Familiar, Reconfigured, and Emergent. In E. Leigh (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Language and Digital Communication (pp. 47-58). Routledge.
• Kane, G. C., Palmer, D., Phillips, A. N., Kiron, D., & Buckley, N. (2015). Strategy, Not Technology, Drives Digital Transformation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 14(1).
• Marx, K. (1867). Capital: A Critique of Political Economy. Penguin Classics.
• Porter, M. E., & Heppelmann, J. E. (2014). How Smart, Connected Products Are Transforming Competition. Harvard Business Review, 92(11), 64-88.
• Ritzer, G., & Dean, P. (2015). The McDonaldization of Society: An Investigation into the Changing Nature of Society. Sage Publications.
• Turkle, S. (2011). Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. Basic Books.
• R Schatz, M., & Lowry, P. B. (2020). Examining Generational Differences in Technology Use and Digital Literacy. Journal of Business and Technology, 12(4).