Organizational Response to the Introduction of New Computer Software Technology.

摘要

Employee productivity is a management issue of fundamental importance for the U.S. Army. Personal computer (PC) technology offers a way to dramatically boost a worker's productivity, but frequently it appears that users do not exploit this technology to its full potential. The organizational culture of the workplace may influence how effectively employees adopt new productivity technology. This report summarizes basic research on the process by which employees adopt new computer software technology. Detailed interviews were conducted with a representative sample of research and administrative personnel at the U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (USACERL) to discover how the laboratory's organizational culture influences the adoption of new software technology. The subjects were questioned about their experiences learning and using word processors, computer-aided drafting and design, and spreadsheet programs. It was found that the ability of USACERL employees to use a new software feature generally depends on the extent to which it can produce immediate, tangible results on the job. Also, users tend to ignore valuable new technologies until a specific job demand creates the need to learn. Subjects preferred learning informally from trusted colleagues over attending workshops or using prepackaged tutorials.