Technology and Organisation: an Integrated Approach

Abstract

Many problems with regard to the development and implementation of infonnation technology are organizational problems ("it works but it does not fit"). Research shows that in IT-projects insufficient attention is paid to:

• organizational consequences of technical changes,
• cost-benefit analysis of technological change,
• changes in the quality of work,
• training, education, recruitment and selection,
• the decision making processes (project organization; user participation).

These problems are caused by

• the one-dimensional, technical point of view of technological change (While the importance of social and organizational aspects is being underestimated) and
• the unbalanced power, the lack of participation of the so called 'powerless' groups involved in technological innovation: the users, the management, the staff.

The development and implementation of information technology need an integrated approach in which the redesigning of technology and organization is a mutual and interrelaled process. Traditional information technology methodology and IOOls may be insufficient for such complex task. The integrated approach needs new methods and new instruments, in which special auention is paid to the participation of users. management, and staff in the decisionmaking process of technological development