Management Planning Requirements for Implementing Office Automation.

To be successful in implementing office automation, office managers must consider more than the obvious question of which system to purchase. They must consider whether automation of their particular office and operations will yield benefits of a significant magnitude to warrant the expense of money, time, and energy needed to install and operate automated office equipment. Office managers must realize that transition to automation almost always results in a temporary decrease in productivity and that automated offices always run the risk of unexpected work stoppages. Other factors to consider when deciding whether or not to automate include the following: the effects that changing over to a new system are likely to have on employees, the likelihood that automation will necessitate other changes in the physical office environment, the possibility that automating one department may have a ripple effect on an entire organization, and the possible development of feelings of antagonism in clients having to deal with an impersonal computer. With careful planning, however, most of these problems can be overcome. (MN)