Participation in Technical Change

Abstract

This paper is mainly adressing issues related to information technology. I feel, however, slightly uncomfortable about this. Information technology has, however, become such a “hot” topic that in many cases technological change is interpreted as change involving information technology. This is unfortunate as technological change (of course) is vastly more diversified. There are other important major trends, in Norway the obvious example is the development of off-shore oil-exploration and petrochemical industries. On the local level less “exotic” technologies often cause greater changes in work organization and employment than the installation of new computer systems. In fact technical change in organizations often appears to have less dramatic impacts than both technological optimists and pessimists “crying wolf” at every point of change like to think.