Information Technology in Production Organizations

Information technology, or "new" technology, is one of the most revolutionary innovations of this century- possibly of all of human history. Although it is dangerous to make such a claim- some might argue that the diffusion of the stirrup during the "dark ages" had far greater consequences- it cannot be denied that new technology is transforming society at many levels and in various sectors. The term new might be construed as overly faddish, but it has a specific meaning here, referring to the application of semiconductor or microelectronic technology to manufacturing systems. The adoption of new technology has evoked considerable interest among practitioners and academics, and represents one of the manifestations of the current "revolution in miniature" [1]. This paper presents a preliminary account of the present unfolding ofthat ' 'revolution, ' ' which entails more than discontinuous change in the organizations themselves. The diffusion of semiconductor technology, which sometimes appears to have the character of a craze, is certainly noticeable in the world of manufacturing; but its effects have not been as profound as in other areas, most

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