TOPIC 5 - Office Automation Systems Flashcards
What are the factors that a business needs to consider when it plans to launch or upgrade its office automation systems (OAS)?
(a) Training
Those involved in OA include the users of the OA in their operations as well as those who provide such tools or systems. For example, management information scientists, mid-level employees, software engineers, hardware experts and secretaries. The types of tasks that they perform are also equally diverse. For some, OA tasks are part of their daily routine. As such, the training of employees in the use of OA is extremely crucial. This is more so during the planning stages of the OA set-up in the organisation. It must be noted that the success of OA implementation depends on how successfully the users use it. If there is resistance in the workplace, it would be counterproductive.
(b) Options
There are various options for an organisation when it comes to OA. There are many OAS which are available for businesses and they come in different specifications and types, and will usually require quite a high level of investment. Therefore, a careful study must be carried out before the decision is made. Among the major factors that need to be considered include cost, the time it takes to implement the OAS, the current set-up of the working environment in which the system will be implemented, technical support required, compatibility, how complex the system is and integration with current systems.
With the high-tech economy in this fast changing information age, businesses need to keep abreast with the developments in information and communication technology (ICT). Widespread adoption of ICT has driven cost down and as a result, even small businesses can now afford to automate. Business experts have warned that those who are resistant to change risk falling behind if they do not adopt OA like their competitors and peers.
Describe the features and benefits of OAS.
(a) Ubiquity
Most OAS are standardised to enable ubiquitous access and cross- compatibility with organisation-wide systems as well as those of its partners, customers and suppliers. Such ubiquity is one of the main motivational factors for many organisations to adopt OA.
(b) Automating Manual Tasks
OA allows organisations to automate mundane day-to-day tasks that are repetitive in nature and require little human intervention. With that taken care of, organisations can instead focus more on other operational issues that require the „human touch‰ such as customer service, marketing and promotion, and research and development.
(c) Reducing Workload
Automated tasks which are handled by machines in general are done faster and with greater accuracy. The task which needs a day or two to accomplish by a few people can be completed within hours (or minutes even) by a single operator using OA, thus, reducing labour while enhancing efficiency. Examples include payroll, sales order processing and document archiving.
(d) Multitasking
This is a very important feature of OA. In this regard, the OA is able to take over several daily operational tasks and can complete the work of a few employees simultaneously. With additional features such as process control and job scheduling, the OAS can autonomously take over the entire department functions. For example, in building security and environment management, the OAS can record the employeesÊ attendance and provide access to certain areas via biometric authentication. At the same time, it can also control the lighting and air conditioning systems in those areas.
(e) Enabling Feasibility
Certain tasks in the past which could not be performed with a manual system can be made feasible or practical with OA such as real-time checking and automatic correction of mistakes (for example, the spellchecker in a word processor), and the measurement and verification of output (for example, the formula checker in a spreadsheet program). Organisation-wide applications such as inventory and stock controls have automated systems that monitor the levels to ensure that the organisation is never short of supply or out of stock.
(f) Providing Environmental Sustainability
OA can reduce office consumption and at the same time increase productivity. For example, a typist can produce soft copies of documents more quickly and only print out the hard copies when needed. Documents that are managed electronically are delivered to the intended recipients almost instantaneously via communication networks. Managers can assign and monitor work progress via computer terminals, thus, reducing the need to travel extensively. Additionally, machines typically do not require lighting and can do the work in the dark.
(g) Extending the Scope for Competitive Advantage
OA can potentially provide an organisation with a competitive advantage over its rivals through improved efficiency and accuracy of its processes, greater productivity as well as better and more current business intelligence.
List the pros and cons of teleconferencing
To check
(b) Draw your own conclusion as to whether organisations should consider using teleconferencing as a business tool.
Teleconferencing is one of the many popular tools used in OAS. In teleconferencing, ICT and telecommunications networks are used to link users in two or more locations in order to carry out a meeting as though all parties are located in the same room.
