Perspectives on technology and work organization

This chapter summarizes and synthesizes some major perspectives on the rela tionship between technology and the nature of work. Given the complexity of technology and its impacts, the chapter elucidates different perspectives on this topic rather than summaries of detailed findings in a particular ar ea of technology. The central thesis of the chapter is a follows: Technolog y's impact on work is contingent on a broad set of factors, including the r easons for its introduction, management philosophy, the labor-management co ntract, the degree of a shared agreement about technology and work organiza tion, and the process of technology development and implementation. How thi s is viewed varies with different theoretical paradigms. Looking through a variety of paradigms provides a richer view of the phenomenon, though integ rating these perspectives remains problematic. Historically, technology was treated as a deterministic causal force with predictable impacts. More rec ently there is a recognition of the complexity of technology and its relati onship to work which is both bi-directional and dependent on a number of co ntingent factors. One set of factors integral to the "impact" of technology is the dynamics of the change process and in fact the change process and " out-comes" are inextricably linked. We conclude that the social reality of technology implementation is highly complex. Very different technologies ar e brought into very different social settings for very different reasons, o ften with completely opposite effects and thus complex theories that recogn ize the emergent and socially constructed nature of technology are needed.