We live in a society of technological systems organized to accomplish specific goals that are interconnected, interrelated, interacting, and interdependent. A system can consist of processes, people, materials, machines, organizations, parts, plans, structures, and various arrangements of items that work together at some level. While systems can be independent of other systems, today we are seeing increasing convergence. Each chapter in Understanding Technology discusses both the specific technology as well as the basic inter-relations between various technological systems.

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