• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.95-120
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• 2005

Utilization of information and communication technologies is commonly accepted as important to value creation in the knowledge economy. Nevertheless, empirical findings from our business case studies often show that while sophisticated technological tools may be developed, the potentials are not realized. It is evident that technology is subject to adaptive and emergent strategies of use, diverging from the original intention. Within this space of opportunities, we elaborate the importance of constructing strategic concepts as communication tools to support organisational implementation of technologies. We use the concept of organisational implementation as a way of taking the technology into use in order to support changes and value creation in the user organisation. In this paper we present our findings related to how use and experiences are conditioned by the users' expectations. We have conducted a business case study in order to understand and explore how users employ and use a particular wireless technology infrastructure. On behalf of the infrastructure vendor, we have studied three different organisations that use this technology. The overall research goal of our joint research project was to find out what is good use and for whom. We find that users struggle to go beyond the expectations they had when they were conceptualising and telling us about their practice. We have good indications that a narrowed consciousness was also conditioning the users' use of the technology. In this paper we draw the conclusion that technological implementations towards changing work practices and value creation must not be viewed by the company solely as a knowledge acquisition process, but as a process of knowledge creation. Organisational implementation is an ongoing process, a learning process at both the organisational and individual level. Flexible tools and technologies are constituted and shaped in interaction and communication in the workplace. Based on that knowledge, we build up an argument for an organisational implementation framework, including strategic discussions, learning spaces, and concept constructions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.146-153
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• 2014

This study looks at the impact of psychological and physical factors of the working conditions on the health of workers depending on whether technology is used by such workers. The data used for the study is the third work environment survey. Out of 50,032 respondents, a total of 29,711 paid workers were used as analysis subjects. Although it was anticipated that the use of technology was a factor that hindered job autonomy and teamwork autonomy. However, the analysis results showed low levels of job autonomy and teamwork autonomy in the group that did not use technology. The study assumes a regression analysis model about work environment and work organizational practices of workspaces that have an impact on musculoskeletal complaints, stress symptoms and level of work satisfaction by controlling the social demographic variable that represents the level of individual sensitivity. As a result of the study, ergonomic risk had a significant effect on both groups that did or did not use technology with respect to stress symptoms, musculoskeletal complaints and level of work satisfaction. In particular, as workspace practices and work environment had an effect on the development of musculoskeletal complaints in the group that used machines, there is a need to improve such situation. The autonomous team work or level of job autonomy within the group that used technology may act as a risk factor to the health and welfare of workers. However, because it may also act as a buffer factor, there is a need for a change to reduce stress symptoms and increase the level of work satisfaction by improving autonomous team work and the level of job autonomy.