Are You Online: Tapping Into The Amazing Benefits Of The Internet
The question is this: Are you ready?
As
an individual, as a school, as a business, as a church….are you ready?
The world is fast becoming a global village. A place were national
boundaries no longer limit the businesses that can be conducted, the
information that can be dispersed and the customers that can be reached.
Some
have intentionally ignored this technology, some have likened it to a
spiritual curse, some have refused to learn the needed skills and some
do not have access to it. Whatever the case may be, ensure you are not
left out!
A
quick look at today’s global business world shows the implication of
ignoring the values of the internet. Two huge multinational
organisations – (HMV and Blockbusters) have recently collapsed. A key
factor that disrupted their businesses were competitions who used online
strategies rather than ‘brick and walls’ strategies to reach customers.
As business owners or intending entrepreneurs, it’s time to enhance the
position of your business by engaging online media.
Education
is another sector that has improved immensely through the offerings of
the internet. Students and lecturers can access several papers that will
enable their research operation and widen their knowledge base. Beyond
this, international schools use various internet mediums to communicate
lecture details and other relevant information to participating students
and stakeholders. Also, students from various institution across the
world now do collaborative learning through online mediums. This makes
the learning style robust and it exposes participants to different ways
of operations.
As individuals, the internet is also key. I have met several people who were able to gain scholarships, get jobs,
secure funding and connect with old friends through this platform. If
this device is engaged appropriately, users can connect with the right
people that are knowledgeable in relevant fields, complements their set
skills and share similar interests. The internet removes the
restrictions of physical meetings; this allows for more diverse and
dynamic ways of converging.
The
above features are very great and relevant to us as individuals,
businesses and societies. We must therefore take the responsibility to
educate and sharpen our skill sets as well as the skill sets of those
around us. Business should also survey the means of engaging more with
their suppliers, customers and competitors through various platforms
offered by the internet. A 2010 statistics released by AN International
Telecommunications Union shows that over 43 million Nigerians have
access to the internet. This figure supersedes that of Egypt – 12.6
million and Morocco 10.3 million. This is a huge market that existing
and new business can harness to their advantage.
Though
the internet present huge benefits such as ecommerce, faster
communication, information resources, social networking, etc. It also
presents some disadvantages that we must be cognisant of. Amongst these
are theft of personal information, spamming, virus threats, pornography
and social disconnection. I heard about the story of a young girl who
invited her close friends for a birthday party in her home. She however
posted the address of her home on her facebook page and had over 1000
people stream to her doorstep on the D-day. Frightened, her parents
cancelled the party and had to face court charges from neighbours who
were disturbed by the incident. This is just a little example of some of
the vices that come with the internet.
Further
to the above, some individuals have used the internet medium to fraud
several users, others have published information that lead to loss of
jobs and reputation. These are a few vices that comes with this tool.
Wisdom is therefore required in your approach when using the technology.
There is a call for all to Be disciplined, Be intentional and Be
discreet about its use.
Protect
your computers with good antiviral software’s, don’t be fooled by ‘get
rich quick’ schemes and choose those you relate with wisely. Parents and
Guardians please set up parental controls that will help manage how
children use the computer. Employers can also set restrictions on the
number or kind of sites their employees can access while at work.
In
the light of the above information, Schools should expand the frontiers
of the learnings they offer students using online facilities. One of
the benefits this will provide is better leverage for international
competitiveness amongst the students. Businesses should employ internet
platforms that can improve commercial processes and increase
distribution channels. Churches should create online plinths that will
allow more people across the world access the resources they offer.
Individuals should reach out to mentors, coaches and friends that could
add value to their lives. Students should research wide using the stage
internet offers.
So much has been achieved using the internet….Much more can be accomplished.
Don’t be left out
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Joke Fash is a Nigerian Youth in Diaspora and writes from the United Kingdom.
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