Soft technology: definition, uses and examples

A new concept widely used in start-ups and economies of scale.

The general concept of technology refers to all knowledge, techniques and procedures that, based on a theoretical and scientific framework, are developed with the aim of advancing and modifying the environment around us.

A little-known part of this field is soft technology.. Throughout this article, we will analyze this concept, as well as its possible applications and some examples to help us clarify these ideas.

What is soft technology?

The concept of soft technology is a relatively new term that is used to The concept of soft technology is a relatively new term used to encompass all technological or managerial, commercial and organizational knowledge..

Soft technology encompasses the knowledge, procedures, methodologies, disciplines and skills that make possible the further development of products and services. For this reason, the equivalent concept in English is "know how", which literally translates as "knowing how" or "knowing how to do it".

This concept arises in contrast to the term "hard technologies", which refers to technologies that exist in the material world, which are tangible.

Although both concepts have in common their relationship with the scientific field that makes possible the development of new technologies, as well as goods and services, soft technology is the intangible part, soft technology is the intangible part.. Thanks to it, people have the necessary skills to adapt to the technological or organizational environment in an effective way.

As is reasonable, without soft technology, i.e. without knowledge, hard technology would not be possible. It is necessary to possess the prior cognitive capabilities that make the creation and advancement of these goods a reality.

The main objective of soft technology is to achieve the best possible results in any type of organization, administration, corporation or society; it can be applied in fields as diverse as industries, governmental bodies or educational fields.

Through the creation of efficient dynamics and procedures within all these areas mentioned above, soft technology enables the effective use of both the human resources of a company, as well as the optimization of its production processes.

Finally, soft technologies can also be used in political and governmental contexts. Knowledge of organizational and administrative processes can achieve all types of organizational and administrative objectives in the shortest possible time and with the best possible use of resources.

How does it differ from hard technology?

As mentioned above, soft technology refers to the intangible part of the development of goods and services. In other words, the set of necessary knowledge that makes it possible for companies and organizations to operate and advance. This knowledge is usually linked to sciences such as computer science, economics, sociology and psychology..

Hard technologies, on the other hand, are those that people's collective imagination associates with the concept of technology. These refer to the material and tangible aspects of technology, including both those that make possible the transformation of materials for the production of new objects and the final physical products that are developed in companies.

This means that both the machinery that makes production possible and the final product are part of what is known as hard technology.

What are its uses and applications?

Since soft technologies constitute the body of knowledge in a number of specific areas, which makes it possible to develop and advance them, there are a large number of intangible tasks and tasks in which they play an essential role.

Among some of these areas we can find:

• Business administration
• Education
• Accounting tasks
• Software development
• Marketing
• Organization
• Work psychology
• Production logistics
• Event organization

The objectives of the application of soft technologies is to optimize the performance of companies, governmental bodies and industries at both operational and organizational levels. In the same way, soft technology also seeks to optimize the relationships, dynamics and communications within each and every one of these organizations.

As a consequence, regardless of whether the objective of these organizations is for profit or not, this set of knowledge and know-how will make it possible to increase the performance of these organizations, obtain better results and, of course, increase profits..

Examples of soft technologies

In order to clarify exactly what soft technology consists of and how it can be applied, we present below a series of examples. Some cases or prototypes of soft technology are as follows:

1. Human resources

The creation of human resources departments using work psychology approaches and currents is one of the best examples of soft technology.

The use of knowledge from the field of work and organizational psychology to select the working personnel of a company, as well as to organize and optimize the organizational chart, leads to an improvement in the potential and growth of organizations.

2. Computer software and mobile devices

In this case we can see how hard technology (electronic device or hardware) and soft technology (software) work together. Without the knowledge and skills of handling electronic devices, the latter would not even exist; without the knowledge it would not have been possible to develop the operating system that would make the hard technology possible.

Digital marketing

Since the goal of any company is to increase its profits by selling goods or products, the ability to influence potential buyers is essential. This is where soft technology comes in. Through knowledge of consumer psychology, marketing and advertising, a company can persuade the consumer in its favor.

4. Food preservation

There are sciences that study and analyze the development and degradation of food. This knowledge can be applied within the food industry, as well as in catering, to extend the shelf life of foods, preserving them as long as possible, thus generating greater profitability for companies.

These are just some of the examples in which soft technology facilitates and enhances the development of companies, organizations and institutions.