Electronic Information Technology: Managing Change in the Office

Abstract

The office is an area of activity which to date has been largely untouched by major technological change. With the exception of the electric typewriter and the development of photocopying machines, office equipment has changed comparatively little during this century. As a result, while there have undoubtedly been advances made in office organisation and procedures, the basic systems have remained essentially manual and mechanical. The situation is reflected in the relative capitalisation of shop floor operatives and office workers. A recent study conducted by the Stanford Research Institute, for example, estimated that the average investment in capital equipment for an office worker was about $2,000, compared with an average of $25,000 on the shop floor. The labour intensity of office systems is similarly evident in their cost structure, with approximately 80 per cent of office costs being directly attributable to labour.

Citation

Thornton, P.C. and Verner Wheelock, J. (1981), "Electronic Information Technology: Managing Change in the Office", International Journal of Manpower, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 2-6. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb044852