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中北大学信息商务学院毕业论文外文文献原文及译文学生姓名：林慧萍学号：08060341X08系别：电子与计算机科学系专业：计算机科学与技术指导教师：郭铁成2012年5月第1页共9页OldandNewModelsforOfficeAutomationElliotColeTheemerginggenerationofofficeautomationsystemscombinesnewandexistingsoftwareandprocedures.Whilemanagersmaybeabletoselectfromabroadarrayofsoftwaretools,theymayalsoberequiredtousecertainothers.Thisarticlediscussesorganizationdesignasthecontextforofficeautomation;maturecomputerbasedsystemsasoneapplicationoforganizationdesignvariables;andemergingofficeautomationsystemsasanotherapplicationofthosevariables.ThearticleconcludesthatManagementInformationSystemmodelsdevelopedformaturesystemsmaybehelpfulwheretheuseofsoftwareapplicationisrequiredfortheindividualworker;diffusionofinnovationmodelsrecentlydevelopedforcomputingsystemsmaybehelpfulwherethetypeofsoftwareisoptionalfortheindividualworker.Theemerginggenerationofofficeautomationsystemscombinesnewconceptsandcomponentswithexistingones.Whiletheremaybeacombinationoffirst-timeapplicationsforsomeorganizationalactivities,theremaybereplacementapplicationsforothers.Ourabilitytounderstandandplanforofficeautomationdependsontheavailabilityandadequacyofourmodels.Thisarticleexaminessomeoftheassumptionsunderlyingofficeautomation,andthenevaluatestheadequacyofcurrentmodelsappliedtotheanalysisandimplementationofboththefirst-timeandreplacementapplications.Thearticlebeginswithadiscussionofofficeautomation'scontextfactorsinorganizationdesign.Nextisadiscussionofmaturecomputer-basedinformationsystems,particularlyManagementInformationSystems(MIS),followedbytheirsimilaritiesanddifferentfromemerginginformationsystems.ThefinalsectionexaminestheuseofdiffusionofinnovationmodelsandtheirrelevancetoofficeautomationstudieswithinthescopeofInformationScience.OrganizationDesignOrganizationdesignisconcernedwiththestructureandfunctionoforganizations,andconsequentlyoccupiesacentralroleinofficeautomationactivities.Suchdesigninvolvestwobasicelements,thetypesofpositionsinorganizationsandcontrolovertaskstructure.Officeautomationsystemsassumethepresenceofboththeseelements.TypesofPersonnelComputershavebeenassistinghumansfornearly40years.Whatmakestheearlierusercommunitiesdifferentfromtheemergingcommunitiesisthelevelofpositionsthatareaffected.Nowmanagersarebecomingend-users.Inthepast,whitecollarworkershavebeenclassifiedasprofessional,managerial,and第2页共9页clerical,basedonthehorizontal(breadth)andvertical(depth)specializationoftheirtasks.Professionalpositionshavegreatverticalspecialization,i.e.,theyrequiregreatdepthofknowledgeinanarrowarea.Incontrast,managementpositionsrequiregreathorizontalspecialization,i.e.,theyrequiregreatbreadthofknowledgebutwithnarrowdepth.Managersareconsideredgeneralistsratherthanspecialists.Clericalpositionsarenarrowinbreadthanddepth.Thefirstcomputeruserswereprofessionals(scientists)whoappliedinformationtechnologytoextendthecapabilitiesoftheirworkteams.Thesevalue-addedapplications,touseLandau,Bair,andShalomterminology,includedsolvingcomplexmathematicalproblems.Today'scomputerusersroutinelyincludeabroadspectrumofprofessionalswhousethesetoolsinpureresearch,appliedresearch,andprofessionalpractice.Next,clericalpersonnelbecameusers.Computersappearedinfunctionalareasoforganizationswithlargeclericalstaffs,whatmancallsthefirstofficeautomationrevolution.Intheseareas,applicationsincludedtransactionprocessing,forexample,payroll,inventory,andorder-entry.AutomationwasintroducedprincipallyforwhatLandau,Bair,andShalomcallcostdisplacementapplications,savinglaborcostsbysubstitutingcapitalforlabor.Currently,theusercommunityisexpandingtoincludemanagementstaff.Fewmanagersinorganizationsofanysizehavebeenuntouchedbycomputerservicesandsystems.Ataminimum,theyhavereceivedcomputerprintoutreports.Atmost,theymayhaveusedsystemsthroughsomeintermediary.Intheemerginggenerationofofficeautomation,asMartinhasdescribed,managersareexpectedtobecomehands-onusersofanarrayofsoftware.Anobjectiveofthisgenerationofofficeautomationistoremovecertaintasksfrommanagerialandprofessionalpositionsbyreallocationtoacombinationofclericalpositionsandinformationprocessinghardwareandsoftware.Opensystemsmodelsoforganizations,discussedbyDanielinthisissueofPerspectives,providesanunderstandingofthesedesignissues.ControlTaskStructureTaskstructureincludesboth(1)whatworkoneistoperform,and(2)howoneistoperformit.Itisthehowwhichistheprimaryfocushere.TotheClassicalManagementofschoolwhichwasprominentearlyinthiscentury,decidinghowworkwastobeperformedwasamanagementresponsibility,notmerelyamanagementprerogative.Followersofthisschoolofthoughtdirectedtheirattentionprimarilytotheproductionactivitiesofindustry.Responsibilityforstructuringthetasksforclericalworkersisstillgenerallyconsideredtorestwithmanagement.Manyofthetasksofthoseworkershavebeendescribedasroutine,standardized,structured,and第3页共9页consequentlyeasilyrationalized,i.e.,separatedintoasetofsimplesteps.Itisthislastqualitythatfacilitatesautomatingthefunction.IntheHumanRelationsschoolofthought,developmentofparticipatorymanagementallowstheworkerstohaveaninputinthedesignoftheirt