Title: IT challenges organisational design: how to connect manufacturing concepts to IT

Authors: Jose M.J. Loeffen, Hans C. Wortmann

Addresses: Philips CFT, Industrial Operations, PO Box 218, Building SAQ 1510, 5600 MD Eindhoven, The Netherlands. Philips CFT, Industrial Operations, PO Box 218, Building SAQ 1510, 5600 MD Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Abstract: The complex organisational design of the past Century proves to be too slow in adapting to the actual, ever-changing environment. During the past few decades, we used the distinction between routine and non-routine jobs to cope with this problem. Routine jobs are now executed quickly and accurately with the help of information technology (IT). Non-routine jobs make use of specific organisational structures in order to simplify coordination between people; organisational design now focuses on unity of time, place and ||action|| - teamwork has become a central issue. This article explores the next phase in the inter-relationship between information technology and organisational design it shows that new challenges lie open for organisational design specialists. IT has now provided us with many new functionalities, and offers solutions for performing non-routine tasks; unity of time, place and action is no longer the first prerequisite to cope with today|s dynamic environment. IT has incorporated important communication support features and has migrated towards; ICT human interaction can now take many expressions.

Keywords: information and communication technology (ICT); management styles; organisational design; sociotechnical design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2000.002835

International Journal of Technology Management, 2000 Vol.19 No.6, pp.630-637

Published online: 07 Jul 2003 *

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