Change of jobs and the utilization form of groupware/intranet : An empirical study of the influence of groupware on workers and organizations

Abstract

The recent expansion of the network-computing environment in companies may affect their business styles, organization forms and workers' ways of thinking. To keep good balance between the technical system (information technology) and the social system (people, organization), we have to take users' viewpoints into consideration. We took a survey using questionnaires of three types for the system department, personnel department and employees in ten companies. Our analysis covers the utilization form of groupware/intranet and its affect on the change of jobs and the workers' ways of thinking. Also our research covers the purpose and effect of the use of groupware/intranet and the change of organization resulting from the use of groupware/intranet. Finally we propose a model of change by using information technologies (groupware/intranet).