Technology is the collective term for a number of methods, techniques, practices, and procedures utilized in the creation of new products or services or in the achievement of specific goals, for example scientific research. The entire process of technology is characterized by change: technological change is not static but ongoing. Thus, there is always a flux of knowledge and technology in a technological organization. This chapter discusses the dynamics of change and how it affects technology transfer and diffusion.
The tech industry, like every other sector, is driven by and dependent upon new technologies. It is therefore natural that tech professionals are keenly interested in new technologies, what they are, how they work, and how they can be modified to fit into their own work environments and lives. Thus, one’s attitude toward technology can be an important indicator of one’s aptitude for a particular tech career.
Attitude, of course, is one of the strongest influences on who will be successful in any given tech sector. In the field of artificial intelligence, for instance, those who embrace computer science and engineering are often highly gifted and creative individuals whose minds are constantly spinning. These individuals are the best suited for the high-risk, high-payoff positions in the artificial intelligence industry. Conversely, those who are good at problem solving and who prefer to engage in problem solving activities may have a more stable place in the technology industry. And these are the individuals that many, if not most, tech companies are searching for.
Another key attribute that is desired in a tech candidate is flexibility. Flexibility is a quality that no longer applies to entry-level and junior tech jobs, where the hiring manager is more concerned with a candidates ability to perform a manual task than on potential technical innovation. But as up-front costs rise and as we become more dependent on automated processes, up-front cost cutting becomes important. Therefore, tech companies like Atlassian rely on full documentation and on a zero marginal cost approach to software development. The fact that the latter is easier to attain is no trivial matter, for the future of the human race and of the world economy as a whole, which means that staying competitive in technology must remain at the forefront of everyone’s minds.
The fact that there are so many people in the Valley is also a factor in why Atlassian can offer some of the best technical support options in terms of support networks, technical expertise, as well as support for business processes like accounting and finance. This allows tech graduates and young professionals to get the experience they need before moving into a full-time job in Silicon Valley. And with Atlassian, they can build the network of contacts they need to grow their tech support business and expand their technological influence throughout Silicon Valley and the rest of the world. Atlassian has also developed an excellent recruiting program that allows its customers to search for and find talented tech candidates with exceptional skills even before they apply for jobs in Silicon Valley.
The rise of the cloud is also having a profound effect on the way that tech support companies recruit and develop new talent. Some tech companies in the Valley are actually using the cloud to simplify their processes and to save money on hiring and operational costs. Many other tech companies, however, are still lagging behind when it comes to implementing the use of the cloud in their operations, but as long as the trend continues to evolve, more tech companies will have to adopt some form of the cloud in order to remain competitive in the long term technology sector.