Technological Innovation and Strategic Human Resource Management: Developing a Theory.

Technological innovation affects the structure and content of jobs. Research indicates that there is a need for a theory of technological innovation and strategic human resource management considering several factors, such as an employee's beliefs about the effect of technological innovations on the quality of work life and work content. Furthermore, application skills held by the individual should allow, the employee to use technology innovatively. Employees' beliefs about technological innovation need to be positive to assure a high quality of work life as well as the effective use of new technology. Relationships are proposed among several variables: quality of work life, acceptance of technology, job and task characteristics, anticipated technology-induced change, job content of skills, organized labor, and the public's acceptance of technological innovation. Relationships are also posed for these variables: range and depth of application skills, mechanical and application skills, variety and complexity of application, innovative application, discrete tasks, and developing job-related applications. Research testing of these relationships is suggested. (Author/ABL)