Chapter 6Technology and People

at Work

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Learning Objectives

1) Trace the evolution of technology from the handicraft era to the cybernated technology stage.

2) Identify and describe the four major characteristics of a postindustrial society.

3) Discuss the effect of technology on organizational culture.

4) Identify and describe four ways employees feel alienated by technology.

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Learning Objectives (contd.)

5) Explain how technology impacts an employee’s quality of work life.

6) Discuss how knowledge-based organizations, industrial democracy, and participative management can aid in integrating technology and the organization’s personnel.

7) Discuss workplace violence and how managers are dealing with it.

8) Explore how to become an effective team player as a new employee.

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The Evolution of Technology

1. The handicraft era was characterized by self-sufficiency.

2. The mechanization era saw the use of machine labor.

3. Mechanistic technology brought the assembly line.

4. Automated technology modernized the assembly line.

5. With cybernated technology, machines run other machines.

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The Transition to a Postindustrial Society

1) A service-oriented workforce

2) A dynamic increase in the number of professional and technical workers

3) An increase in the importance of theoretical knowledge

4) The planning and controlling of technological growth

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Technology at Work

Technology is causing a change in people’s values, which workers bring with them to the workplace.

Technology is leading to changes in the work environment, from the machines people use in creating output and making decisions to the way in which workers’ offices and workstations are designed.

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The People-Work Environment-Technology

Interface

1) Changing organizational cultures

2) Alienation in the workplace

3) How workers feel about their jobs

4) The quality of one’s work life

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Organizational Culture

Organizational culture is the environment in which people work.

Cultural match is the similarity between individual and organizational culture.

Individual culture is the norms, attitudes, values, and beliefs that a person brings to the job.

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Technology and Alienation

1) Powerlessness is a feeling of being at the mercy of technology.

2) Meaninglessness is the feeling of doing work that has no personal value.

3) Isolation occurs when people are confined to one particular work locale.

4) Self-estrangement is characterized by a lack of intrinsic job satisfaction.

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Quality of Work Life -Ergonomics

Ergonomics is concerned with redesigning the physical environment to meet workers’ needs.

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Resource- and Knowledge-Based Organizations

A resource-based organization focuses on providing needed physical assets.

A knowledge-based organization relies on information sharing, teamwork, trust, and empowerment.

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Industrial Democracy and Participative Management

Industrial democracy is a formal sanctioning of worker representation in the decision-making process.

Participative management is an informal style of face-to-face leadership in which the workers share decision-making authority.

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Empowerment

… gives the employees control over decisions and policies that directly affect them.

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Basic Ideas of Empowerment

Giving employees greater authority to make decisions Maintaining an open and decentralized

communication system Using people from many different departments to

solve complex organizational problems Rewarding and recognizing those who assume

responsibility and perform well

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Workplace Violence

… is any physical assault, threatening behavior, or verbal abuse occurring in the work setting.

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Key Terms in the Chapter

• Future shock

• Handicraft era

• Mechanization era

• Mechanistic technology

• Automated technology

• Cybernated technology

• Postindustrial society

• Organizational culture

• Cultural match

• Individual culture

• Powerlessness

• Meaninglessness

• Isolation

• Self-estrangement

• Ergonomics

• Resource-based org.

• Knowledge-based org.

• Industrial democracy

• Participative management

• Empowerment

• Workplace violence