Week 5: Cascio & Montealegre (2016) How technology is changing work and organisations

Question 1

Cascio and Montealegre try to explain what?

Answer 1

how digital technology is altering work systems and the work people do

Question 2

The authors review key breakthroughs in the ____ of technology, consider disruptive effects of ____ and ____ technologies, examine jobs affected by the _____ in technology and how this will lead to significant ____.

Answer 2

evolution
information and communication
developments
worker dislocation

Question 3

In three points in time the world has experienced key breakthroughs in technology that revolutionised the world. What are those three eras?

Answer 3

agricultural era
industrial era
digital era

Question 4

The agricultural era is characterised by what?

Answer 4

power of natural elements, such as wind and water

Question 5

The industrial era is characterised by what three things?

Answer 5

1. application of industrial power
2. procurement of traditional resources
3. mass production in accordance with law of increasing costs

Question 6

The digital era is characterised by what three things?

Answer 6

1. technology
2. access/control of the environment anywhere and everywhere
3. ubiquitous computing stage

Question 7

Name three examples for ubiquitous computing.

Answer 7

thermostat apps, speech recognition, GPS based apps

Question 8

Technology emergence can either be sustaining or disruptive. Explain the difference.

Answer 8

sustaining technology: relies on incremental improvements to an already established technology

disruptive technology: lacks refinement, often has performance problems as its brand new, appeals only to a limited audience and may not have a proven practical implementation yet

Question 9

What is the productivity-wage-paradox the authors discuss?

Answer 9

productivity and innovation has never been greater, yet median wages have not risen

–> technological progress is eliminating the need for many jobs, leaving the typical (1-skilled) worker worse off than before
BUT the total number of jobs has not gone down either

Question 10

What are three disruptive effects of developments of new technology?

Answer 10

1. digital revolution is creating a divide between skilled and wealthy and the rest of society
2. machine learning will lead to a large-scale worker dislocation
3. yet machines don’t necessarily have the skills humans have (e.g. empathising, developing talent)

Question 11

Name the two effects that technology can have on people at the workplace.

Answer 11

enabling (self-motivation, well-being, productivity, job satisfaction)
oppressing (stress, demotivation, CWB)

Question 12

What two concerns of the SDT theory are related to technology?

Answer 12

1. whether or not technology satisfies or hinders out needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness
2. whether the implementation of that technology satisfies or hinders those needs

Question 13

Name the four technologies that are extremely present in the digital era.

Answer 13

electronic monitoring system, robots, teleconferencing, wearable computing devices

Question 14

Name two things humans can do that robots cannot.

Answer 14

emphasise with customers, develop talent

Question 15

the fact that we can emphasise with customers and develop talent leads the authors to conclude what?

Answer 15

that this will always give us a comparative advantage over machines

Question 16

What is difficult to achieve due to us being less engaged face-to-face?

Answer 16

identification-based trust: mutual understandings

Question 17

In the digital era, the reason for potential disruptions in the workplace and work systems is?

Answer 17

ubiquitous computing

Question 18

What four considerations does one have to make when it comes to the adoption of workplace technologies?

Answer 18

1. usability - is it a natural and easy use?
2. self-efficacy - do employees think they are competent to use it?
3. economic concern - does it comprise a competitive advantage?
4. social concerns - would peer pressure decrease the adoption time?

Question 19

The authors recommend using technology in what way?

Answer 19

to use technology to its fullest potential to support the processes only humans can do

Question 20

The role of management is changing how?

Answer 20

management now has to think about what they can do that machines cannot

Question 21

What is the authors concern about the reliance on technology?

Answer 21

that people are way too reliant on technology as their geographical proximity is linked by networks

Question 22

Ubiquitous computing links the ___ and ___ together.

Answer 22

physical world, electronic space

Question 23

Cascio and Montealegre (2016) describe in their review the effects of technology on jobs and talk about advantages of human above machines in managing people and companies. Which of the following are mentioned?

I. Humans are better in managing ambiguity
II. Humans are better in engaging and inspiring people

a. Only II is mentioned
b. Only I is mentioned
c. Neither I nor II is mentioned
d. Both I and II are mentioned

Answer 23

d.