Exploring the implications of allocation of function for human resource management in the Royal Navy

Citation
J. Strain et K. Eason, Exploring the implications of allocation of function for human resource management in the Royal Navy, INT J HUM-C, 52(2), 2000, pp. 319-334
Citations number
16
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology,"AI Robotics and Automatic Control
Journal title
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN-COMPUTER STUDIES
ISSN journal
10715819 → ACNP
Volume
52
Issue
2
Year of publication
2000
Pages
319 - 334
Database
ISI
SICI code
1071-5819(200002)52:2<319:ETIOAO>2.0.ZU;2-0
Abstract
Automation changes the allocation of function between machines and people a nd there can be many concerns about the effects on individual human perform ance. However, these changes also have wider consequences because the numbe r of people in the system may be reduced and the skills they require may be different with consequential impact upon manning, recruitment and training policies. These wider implications are rarely considered in a systematic m anner when a new technical system is being developed. This paper presents a method for the assessment of these wider implications during the system de velopment process. This method has been developed and demonstrated in a Roy al Navy context to explore the impact of automation in a new class of warsh ips on the manning of the warship and on human resource planning in the Nav y. The paper describes the method and the results of applying it in the nav al context. The method utilizes the approach of organisational requirements definition for information technology systems (ORDIT) to determine the res ponsibilities within the planned sociotechnical system and a scenario-based workshop approach for establishing the implications and options at each st age of the analysis. The results demonstrate that it is possible to trace t he implications of a technical change of this kind for a major organization but that it is a multi-stage and multi-layered process. There are within t he process many options with different implications which reveals where the organization has leverage to plan for the future. (C) 2000 Academic Press.