Changing work systems

This paper is concerned with finding practical ways of incorporating human and organizational concerns during the development and use of new information technologies (IT). It is structured in four parts. First, we outline the work of the Institute of Work Psychology at the University of Sheffield. One major interest is with the human and organizational aspects of the new information technologies. We are especially interested in work organization and job design, the allocation of tasks between and among humans and computers, the roles of users, the roles of senior managers, the management of change, and the performance of new investments in information technology (IT). Second, we review the evidence from survey work and from detailed case studies concerning the performance of IT. This reveals that most IT investments do not meet their performance objectives, and that the reasons for this are rarely purely technical in origin. Change is too often technology-led, and too little attention is paid to human and organizational factors. Most companies fail to consider how work should be organized and how jobs should be designed to make the new technologies more effective. Usually, users have no substantial influence on system development. Senior managers are criticized for their lack of understanding and action in these areas. Third, we consider the potential in the United Kingdom for changing work systems incorporating new technology. One way forward is through the development and use of sets of theoretically derived tools that can be used by managers and others. To this end we are working with several collaborators on a portfolio of tools in the following areas: organizational design job design allocation of tasks between and among humans and computers. We then review our approach and offer views of the areas and ways in which this work could develop, including opportunities for international collaboration.