Supply Chain

Does 'High Technology' Even Still Exist?

Jan. 26, 2011

Once in a while in this blog, I examine words and phrases that we use every day in business and try to remember the origin of their real meanings. And as it often goes with business jargon, we overuse it so much that the actual meaning gets lost.

I have noticed lately that some prominent news web sites that cover high technology, including Forbes and the Wall Street Journal, are changing their categorizations to just say "technology." The "high tech" category has disappeared. Are you noticing this too?

I think this is happening because what was once considered "high technology" has become fairly commonplace. We're buying and reading books on inexpensive portable devices, and we're able to carry around an entire library on one small device. Companies that make this technology, such as Apple, used to be minor players in the general marketplace; now they are major movers and shakers with incredible influence.

In the supply chain business, we have traditionally considered key segments of the high-tech industry to include contract manufacturers, semiconductors, consumer electronics, and telecommunications. It may well be time to redefine this definition based on how technology has evolved.

What high technology is there left in the world? What's the distinction between high technology and technology? I think the addition of the word "high" indicates that it's not supposed to be just for anyone to use. It is so advanced that it sits on a shelf just out of the grasp of most people. But this distinction is certainly beginning to fade.

The more democratized our technology becomes, the easier it is for anyone to use. For example, there are software coding languages created just for kids, so that they can program their own software to solve problems.

Are you seeing this phenomenon occurring in other places, as in the way we refer to technology changes? What do you see happening in the future?

Best,
Jim
Tompkins Associations

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About the Author

Jim Tompkins | CEO

Dr. James A. Tompkins is an international authority on leadership, logistics, material handling, outsourcing, and supply chain best practices. As the founder and CEO of Tompkins International, he provides leadership for Tompkins globally.

His 30-plus years as CEO of a consulting / integration firm and his focus on helping companies achieve profitable growth give him an insider’s view into what makes great companies even better. Listen to an interview of Jim Tompkins on the Business Leader Radio show.

As a high-level business advisor, his unique perspective prepares corporations and executives for the future.

To share his knowledge and provide up-to-date information on supply chain and business trends, he developed the GoGoGo! Blogand Global Supply Chain Podcast.

He has written or contributed to more than 30 books and eBooks, including Caught Between the Tiger and the Dragon, Bold Leadership, Logistics and Manufacturing Outsourcing, The Supply Chain Handbook, andNo Boundaries. Jim has been quoted in hundreds of business and industry magazines such as The Journal of Commerce, Supply & Demand Chain Executive, and FORTUNE, and he has spoken at more than 4,000 international engagements.

Jim has served as President of the Institute of Industrial Engineers, the Materials Management Society, and the College-Industry Council on Material Handling Education, and Purdue has named him a Distinguished Engineering Alum. He has also received more than 50 awards for his service to his profession.