Search results

1 – 2 of 2
Per page
102050
Citations:
Loading...
Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 April 1993

Cherian S. Thachenkary

The decline in US productivity growth is now well recognized. Whatis not so obvious is that this is at a time when expenditures forinformation technology (IT) have grown at a…

50

Abstract

The decline in US productivity growth is now well recognized. What is not so obvious is that this is at a time when expenditures for information technology (IT) have grown at a faster rate than ever before. Shows that for the period 1980‐89, labour productivity grew at an annual rate of 1.29 per cent while capital productivity declined at a rate of ‐0.12 per cent. Information technology expenditures during this period grew at 8.6 per cent with office, computing and accounting machinery growing even faster at 10.22 per cent. Over $867 billion has been spent on IT equipment alone. Looks at the evolution of technology expenditures and productivity growth in the US economy. Argues that it is important for the information systems community to reconsider some of its dominant design paradigms – specifically, that IT investment needs to be evaluated from the standpoint of its capacity to boost productivity.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 93 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

Access Restricted. View access options
Article
Publication date: 1 January 1983

David W. Conrath, Christopher A. Higgins, Richard H. Irving and Cherian S. Thachenkary

Many organizations are introducing computer‐based communication and information systems to improve the efficiency and productivity of their personnel. Unfortunately, there exist…

109

Abstract

Many organizations are introducing computer‐based communication and information systems to improve the efficiency and productivity of their personnel. Unfortunately, there exist no suitable schemes which these organizations can use to specify who needs what products or services. Neither is there any standardized methodology for evaluating the appropriateness of the new systems and their impact on the individual users and organizations. The Centre for the Evaluation of Communication—Information Technologies (CECIT) at the University of Waterloo is engaged in research on office automation. Its objectives are to develop suitable methodologies for the specification and evaluation of office automation services. This paper reports on an initial study of the communication—information requirements of white collar workers. The study took place in the summer and fall of 1980. One hundred and fourteen managers and fifty secretarial and clerical workers from four different organizations were involved in the study. Perceived use of various office support services, preliminary and subsequent detailed descriptions of individuals' tasks, and actual communication behaviour were the main focus of our data gathering. Preliminary findings suggest that cognition‐oriented tasks like human relations, planning, decision making and evaluating predominate the work of managers. Significant opportunities exist at the management level for the application of integrated decision‐support and communication systems. However, given the complexity and the lack of routine in the tasks performed by most managers, the development and introduction of office automation services geared for such a target are going to be slow in coming.

Details

Office Technology and People, vol. 1 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0167-5710

1 – 2 of 2
Per page
102050