Essay: Are advances in technology making us more efficient, or just creating more barriers to entry for the average person?

In the past years, scientists and engineers have put their minds together to produce the most impressive inventions ever. The work of these individuals affects everyone daily whether it is through communication, housing, transportation, education, and entertainment. However, one of the biggest sectors that use technology for its use is business.
With the creation of the Internet, many companies began to put their business on the web hoping for customers. The competition for scarce resources inevitably breeds conflict. Advances in technology give the average person a disadvantage, or a barrier to entry, over bigger companies.
Things have changed over the years. In the past, businesses were protected from competition. By having merit, confidence that one will provide a needed service, and a decent product, one expected to gain a profit. Failure of a business was seen purely as poor judgement. However, technology, among other factors, has change...