The Introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Organizations

Book excerpt: Information and communication technology ICT in organizations has many faces, such as office automation, production automation, telecommunication and electronic networks connecting organizations. The "C" in "ICT" refers to the fact that, besides information processing technologies, a rapid growth can be found in computer-assisted communication technologies and computer-supported co-operative work. Organizations change as a result of socio-economic and technological developments. New organizational forms and work arrangements are emerging, and ICT is adapted and designed to solve problems caused by these changes. The impact of the introduction of ICT becomes apparent in changes in work patterns, qualifications and decision-making procedures. In this special issue, the implementation processes and some of the consequences are discussed, mostly on the basis of empirical studies.; Contributions include: a discussion of recent developments of ICT and organizational change in the banking sector; an analysis of the introduction of technological innovation in the ambulance service in several big cities; and an illustration of the different options in introduction strategies, including methods used to facilitate user participation in systems development. In some cases, so-called business re-engineering processes form the framework for the analysis.