Academic English for Tertiary Studies: EAP 4

WK 8 FRI F 11

Information Technology and the New Workplace

From: Schermerhorn, J.R., Campling, J., Poole, D., Wiesner, R. (2004)
Management, an Asia-Pacific perspective, John Wiley & Sons, Brisbane, pp
64 -
65

The future is now when it comes to the rapidly evolving

state of information technology (IT), the combination of
computer hardware, software, networks and databases that
allows
information to be shared, stored and manipulated. Organizations are changing
as continuing new developments in IT exert their influence.
Information departments or centres are appearing on organization
charts. The number and variety of information career fields is rapidly
expanding. Job titles such as chief information officer and chief
knowledge officer are appearing in the senior ranks of
organizations. All of this, and more, is characteristic of the great
opportunities of our new age of information. At the software firm,
PeopleSoft, for example, a vice-president once faced the problem of
trying to meet expectations for an early release of a sophisticated
software package. His team used web-based tools and a Lotus
Notes database to facilitate a process that could have taken
months if done any other way. The PeopleSoft team consolidated
information from employees around the world and provided the
needed feedback within two weeks. 'It was really amazing', said
the vice-president, who added, 'Then again, it's how we do
things around here.'

Work and the electronic

 office

That's the way things are done at any progressive workplace

these days. A good example of the everyday impact of information
technology on work is the electronic office. This term refers to
the use of computers and related technologies to electronically
facilitate operations in an office environment. The electronic office
that you may soon enter may well look like the one
described opposite [below].
People work at 'smart' stations supported by computers that
allow sophisticated voice, image, text and other data-
handling operations. Many of these stations are
temporary spaces that

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Academic English for Tertiary Studies:
EAP 4
WK 8 FRI F 11

telecommuters 'visit' during those times when they are in

the main office; otherwise they work from virtual offices - on
the road, anywhere. Voice messaging uses the voice
recognition capabilities of computers to take dictation, answer the
telephone and relay messages. Data-bases are easily
accessed and shared to solve problems, and to
prepare and analyze reports. Documents drafted via
word processing are stored for later retrieval and/or sent
via electronic mail or facsimile transmission to other persons. Filing
cabinets are few, and little paper is found. Meeting
 notes are written on electronic pads or jotted in palm-held
electronic diaries. All are easily up-loaded into computer
files. Mail arrives and is routed to its destination via
computer, where it is electronically prioritized
according to its importance and linked to relevant
databases to speed problem solving. Computer
conferencing and videoconferencing are commonplace.
E-meetings allow people separated by great distances
- distributed even around the world - to work together on
projects every day without meeting personally face to
face.

This is not fantasy. It's real. Progressive organizations are

doing all they can to utilize computers and information technology to
streamline work, improve operating efficiencies and make overall
performance improvements. Such work settings are designed for
high performance in a workplace dominated by concerns for speed -
of decision making and action. Organizations exist in dynamic and
turbulent environments where 'speed to market', 'quick
response', 'fast cycle time' and 'time-based competition' are priority
topics in any executive suite. They are continually investing in IT in
the quest for competitive advantage through lower costs,
better quality and improved customer services.
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