Susan F. Ehrlich
Abstract
The adoption of new computer communication systems into organizations requires behavioral change. Planning for successful adoption requires knowledge of individual organizational communication patterns and the relationship between those patterns and particular communication system solutions. This paper documents a sequence of studies of organizational communication. Needs for office communication systems were identified, as were social and psychological factors temporarily inhibiting their use. Strategies for assuring smooth adoption of such systems are highlighted.
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Index Terms
- Strategies for encouraging successful adoption of office communication systems
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Reviews
James Cecil Hammerton
.abstract The adoption of new computer communication systems into organizations requires behavioral change. Planning for successful adoption requires knowledge of individual organizational communication patterns and the relationship between those patterns and particular communication system solutions. This paper documents a sequence of studies of organizational communication. . . . — From the Summary The studies in question were (1) a series of studies done at three Wang customer sites on the adoption and use of Wang's centralized voice messaging system; (2) a generic evaluation of communication problems found in a manufacturing facility of an electronics firm; (3) a series of studies on the use of electronic calendars and electronic mail done internally at Wang; and (4) an internal study at Wang to explore social and psychological issues affecting the use of answering machines. The first series included (1) the executive and sales network of an office furniture manufacturer, (2) the international department of a cigarette manufacturer, and (3) an internal “pilot” in an oil company. There is an interesting emphasis in this paper on how people react to new technology. Is it a toy__ __ Does my manager use it__ __ Will it give me better access to people in power__ __ How difficult is it to use__ __ Is it reliable__ __ Can I depend on it__ __ Is it easy to master__ __ Computer folks have long been absorbed in the technical complexities of their trade to the exclusion of worrying about human interfaces, customer acceptance, and the like. This reluctance to tangle with a user's perceived problems is probably behind us at this point. However, it is useful to be reminded that it is not only a legitimate concern but also a swamp into which the best developed technical system can sink without a trace. Can people learn to leave content-rich messages for unavailable people rather than simply a name and number to call back__ __ Can meetings be rescheduled simply by altering the electronic calendars of the intended participants__ __ Technically it can be done, but what rules govern the change__ __ Who can make the change based on what criteria__ __ How close to meeting time can a change be made and by whom__ __ How much “jerking around” is OK__ __ Does the ready ability to forward messages to others lead to the proliferation of junk mail__ __ How soon must the system be combined with a security system to avoid the dissemination of confidential or private information__ __ The paper contains some interesting observations and conclusions about these issues. It will, however, occur to the information systems person that much of the subject matter focuses on how to use new technologies to support old ways of doing business. Why, in the furniture company where sales are dependent on the availability of inventory information on specific one-of-a-kind items, are messages still being routed around the company to ascertain availability__ __ The basis of information systems is that they attempt to represent what is going on in the real world—the physical world; it is possible to consult the information system for information rather than having to go out there and see if we have one. So, rather than improving the person-to-person message transfer system, should not the company bite the bullet and install a centralized inventory system—one that never sleeps, never takes an afternoon off to play golf, never is in a meeting__ __ Of course it has to be right or, more precisely, it has to be accurate—both correct and up to date. If information about the situation right now is what is required, then a real-time system is needed. But do not be alarmed; this is 1988; these things have been done and are being done—affordably. So I suppose I am left with the thought that the author's energies and skills might have been better employed telling us about strategies for encouraging the successful adoption of new office communication systems rather than old ones.
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