Taylorism given a helping hand: How an IT system changed employees’ flexibility and personal involvement in their work
Journal of Organizational Change Management
ISSN: 0953-4814
Article publication date: 1 October 2000
Abstract
Illustrates how the implementation of a major information technology (IT) system within the Norwegian Army affected the way the employees perceived their flexibility and personal involvement in their work. By employing Taylor’s initial works, this paper illustrates how the introduction of this IT system was perceived by some of the employees. Shows how, instead of increasing employees’ work engagement, the IT system had the opposite effect. Demonstrates that the new IT system contributed to a deskilling of the employees, to a more task‐oriented approach to their work, and to increased employees’ interdependence. Instead of increasing employees’ personal flexibility and involvement in their jobs, the research shows how the new IT system in fact contributed to a reduction in the freedom to choose when and how quickly to do their jobs.
Keywords
Citation
Tolsby, J. (2000), "Taylorism given a helping hand: How an IT system changed employees’ flexibility and personal involvement in their work", Journal of Organizational Change Management, Vol. 13 No. 5, pp. 482-492. https://doi.org/10.1108/09534810010377444
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited