Abstract
The accumulation and control of information is a critical function for government and private, industrial and non-industrial organizations. Yet the role of information as an organizational resource is not very well understood, especially as it is related to the organization’s environment. What does appear is that computerized information systems have become a facilitating technology that interacts with organizational, historical, and environmental pressures and goals to shape not only the internal structure of an organization but also its interactions with society (1,2). There is little doubt that the computerized or automated information system is revolutionizing the management of most, if not all, systems by which goods and services are produced or information is accumulated. This should be a source of great concern.
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References and Notes
The most recent analysis for computerized agencies is in K. Lauden: Computers and Bureaucratic Reform (Wiley, New York, 1974).
For an example of the impact of technology (but not computerization) on an organization see PO Blau, The Dynamics of Bureaucracy (ihiv. of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1963).
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The guidelines were generated during a number of workshops held at Stanley House, a small estate in the Gaspe at which Canada Council schedules intensive seminars. Canada Council and the Canadian Information Processing Society sponsored one workshop each in 1973. Participating in various of these work-shops and otherwise contributing to the formation of these guidelines were R. Ashenhurst, computer scientist (University of Chicago); M. Bockelman, police department (Kansas City); L. Brereton, editor, Humanists in Canada; C.Capstick, computer scientist (Gielph University); A. Close, barrister (Law Reform Commission); G. Cunningham, assistant commissioner (Royal Canadian Mounted Police); V. Douglas, psychologist (McGill University); C. Gotlieb, computer scientist (Uhiversity of Toronto); H. Kaiman, historian (Uhiversity of British Columbia); R. Kling, computer scientist (University of California, Los Angeles); T. Kuch, philosopher (Department of Health, Education, and Welfare); P. Lykos, computer scientist (National Science Foundation); S. Pollack, computer scientist (Washington thiversity); H . Schlaginweit, manager (British Columbia Telephone Co.); W. Rogers, provincial auditor (Alberta); D.Seely, computer scientist (Simon Fraser Uhiversity); M. Shepherd, programmer (Toronto); T. Sterling, computer scientist (Simon Fraser University); and J. Weizenbaum, computer scientist (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). For a detailed description of the guidelines see Sterling (12).
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The Canadian computer ombudsman scheme is developed around a joint effort of the Canadian Information Processing Society and the Consumer Association of Canada (see T. Sterling, J. CIPS, in press)0 The U.S. effort, spearheaded by the Association for Computing Machinery, has as its main concern eliminating an incorrect image of computerized systems and is thus different from the Canadian model.
Blauner, R., Alienation and Freedom (Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1964).
For confirming evidence of Blauner’s findings, see F.C. Mann and L.R. Ibffman, Automation and the Worker (Holt, Reinhart & Winston, New York, 1960); C.R. Walker, Toward the Automatic Factory (Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, Conn., 1957); A.N. Turner and P.R. Lawrence, Industrial Jobs and the Worker (Harvard thiv. Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1965).
See, for instance, K.W.M. Kapp, the Social Costs of Private Enterprise, (Schocken, New York, 1950); E. Richardson, Work in America (MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass., 1973).
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Sterling, T.D. (1985). Humanizing Computerized Information Systems. In: Briefs, U., Kjaer, J., Rigal, JL. (eds) Computerization and Work. IFIP State-of-the-Art Reports. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70453-6_15
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-70453-6_15
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