Technology and Productivity in the Workplace Essay

Technology and Productivity in the Workplace - Essay Example At this particular stage in the IT revolution, many organizations This reverse effect of technology is attributed to two problems that have cropped up on the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools: segmentation and loss of context. The reason why segmentation and loss of context complicate rather than facilitate problem solving in the workplace is that information made readily available by technology is segmented into pieces such that its recipients are forced to locate the place of each piece in the puzzle. When these segments or units of information reached the recipient, they are often stripped of their meaningful context or original situation of use (Risku & Picher online). The result is occasional stress and frustration in the workplace, which are effective deterrents to productivity. This paper delves into the reasons why technology falls short of its high expectations in the workplace, how the man may have been relegated to a backseat in favor of the machine, and what can be done for the workplace to exact the promised benefits from technology. The central issu Case against Technology The central issue boils down to a conflict between creativity and control on one hand and economic viability on the other. In the words of Storck (2001), the issue of whether computers are a help or hindrance can be reduced to the question: Does it prevent or promote higher productivity Technology is a great help if it lifted the per capita productivity of workers, but it is a hindrance if ICT systems in fact contributed to a decline in productivity at the workplace. Technology through revolutionary transportation and communication systems toppled down international borders and gave way to the Global Village, a business and economic phenomenon. But this is the bigger picture. In the actual workplace, technology users are expending time and energy grappling with newfangled tools that had minds of their own. IT tools were devised to make performance of tasks easier and faster, bridging any distances so that all participants access the same knowledge. But this technology works best for business organizations if it can be integrated into accepted ways of organizational behavior and it does not interfere with man's desire for belonging and professional stability (Risku & Picher online). The Embedded Cognition Theory set by Suchman (1997) suggests that knowledge provided by IT systems fails to raise productivity and promote intelligent problem solving in the workplace because it prevents man's cognitive urges to tackle new challenges and to interact with fellow humans. Based on the collective intelligence and organizational knowledge theories (Levy, 1997 and Spender, 1996, respectively, as cited in Risku & Pricher), a worker is smarter and more intelligent if his mind, body and environment interact in a dynamic manner. The closer this interaction is,

Central Financial Management Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Central Financial Management Activities - Essay Example It is not uncommon for an organization to employ its directors and/or its chairperson when it comes to judgment in the financial management process. Judgment must be borne on issues of strategy, performance, and resources, including key appointments and standards of conduct. Organizations may also employ non-executive directors for the judicial process, as an independent judgment that is free from bias is superior (Mcmenamin 1999). It is the task of the judgment personnel to evaluate what has taken place in relation to how the financial picture of an organization can be improved. The judges in the financial management process have the capacity to do away with certain decisions and thereby begin a new financial year with better prospects. Most Fortune 500-size firms use sophisticated mathematical and statistically-based methods in the financial management of inventory. A firm’s financial managers concentrate on the allocation and efficient management of financial resources in various inventory categories, for example, raw materials, work-in-progress, and finished goods. A firm’s production and inventory managers, on the other hand, are more interested in the efficient production of different finished goods items, and therefore pay close attention to employee production schedules, long production runs, and the storage of finished goods. It is not infrequent for a conflict of interest to arise between these two branches of management. The top management must intervene in this case to determine the proper investment of financial resources in the production function. Now a great deal of analysis enters the picture. For this, all firms must have data necessary to make precise calculations of cost-convenience -profit trade-offs (Grablowsky 1984).