Managing the change to an automated office: lessons from five case studies

Office automation has arrived. Traditional office functions such as dispersal of mail and typing have become electronic mail and word processing. Automation of these functions is typically undertaken to reduce labor costs and to improve quality in communication and text preparation. Not only have traditional office functions been computerized, but automation is creating new tasks for the office; for example, strategic human resource planning via human resource information systems and materials requirement planning for just‐in‐time inventory systems. Office technology has changed, and with it, office functions.