Why organizations need to react effectively and expeditiously in response to the challenge of new technology- A brief history of weaponry and its impact on military system

Why organizations need to react effectively and expeditiously in response to the challenge of new technology

-          A brief history of weaponry and its impact on military system

It is not uncommon for individuals in an organization to resist change. The resistance is primarily based on the facts that either people are not yet up to speed on the new system and work expectation or they feel threatened in that they will lose the status or role that they feel comfortable with.  It takes time for any company to adapt to new technology; however, If it does not change the mindset and adjust its systems, it will soon find itself far behind competition in short order.

Let’s take a look at the history of weaponry and its impact on a military system. The cold weapon divided into two general types.  The cold weapon such as knifes and spears were designed to fight within a short distance, whereas the javelin and bow were designed for long distance combat.  The choice of weapon often was based on the warrior’s physical strength as not all men could lift a heavy javelin and/or hit a target. The military system during cold weapon period really depended on the number of soldiers, the strong will of the troop and commander’s ability to lead the army. The movie BraveheartFreedom by Mel Gibson demonstrates this premise.

Firearms ultimately replaced the cold weapon. The arquebus was the first gun fired from the shoulder thanks to lockmaker. It was invented in Spain in the mid-15th century. Its effective range was less than 650 feet (200 m), however much greater than that of a bow and arrow. The arquebus was superseded by the larger musket in the mid-16^th century.  If you watched the movie “The Patriot”, you will recall that the army looked very different with colourful uniforms and marching in organized rows.  This military system at this point was based on musket structure as the bullets are added from the front down to the barrel. It was difficult to aim at the target with any accuracy, but the impact of an organized army marching together in rows and the opponent organized in the same fashion permitted improved accuracy and impact.  The army with stricter discipline often was the victor. This also allows more people with less physical strength to be able to be effective soldiers.

In 1866, the mauser came to market.  The bullet could be loaded from the back end of the gun. This allows gun barrel to be seamless and without smoke when fired.  This structure allowed the army to scatter and hide behind barriers and thus becoming more flexible and a more difficult target. During the British/American, Britain maintained the old military system but America used the new method. The British army became easy targets and lost the battle.

When the machine gun was developed, the military system changed dramatically. In the Battle of Somme, German troop set up machine guns every 100 metres for 40 kilometres.  This battle created record of killing 60,000 English soldiers within a day.  

Slow reaction to new technology can lead an organization or an individual to watching the competition from behind as they pass you by!