Sociotechnical Issues with E Business

It is essential to consider people factors right from the onset of e-business innovation and not after implementation, as it usually happens. Human resource justification needs should be considered alongside technological justification. Proper planning of staffing, new job design, training, reward system, gain sharing, security issues and access to data, and employee management relationship is required before implementing e-business. Important sociotechnical issues to consider include training, staffing and new job designs, technology integration, project team and leader.

a. Training

Education and training act as the catalyst for changes that accompany new technologies and innovations. It also constitutes an essential basis for employee empowerment. Trained employees are significantly better problem solvers and problem presenters. Training and development programs for e-business projects should be aimed at developing all those affected by it in the organisation. Senior and top management should be educated about e-business so that they can comprehend the benefits of the application and its requirements providing the resources to effectively implement and manage the innovation. If the decision makers are alienated from technology they will be reluctant to support the purchase of newer evolving technologies. For IT managers, e-business leaders, software engineers or system analysts, an appreciation of the production process, business attributes (for example, accounting, marketing, inventory management), ergonomics and psychology will be helpful in designing integrated systems. Managers and supervisors also require training to cope with changes and forge allied relationship with their subordinates as a result of e-business. Their roles are sometimes changed to team leaders for which they require appropriate training in motivation, communication and appraisal techniques. Appropriate training will provide employees with the technical, conceptual, analytical and problem-solving skills enabling them to adapt to uncertainties with unanticipated changes. The cost of training can be justified by the long-term expected contribution of skilled employees to the productivity of the company.

b. Health and Safety

Health and safety of employees is another important consideration at the planning stage. The intense computerisation that accompanies business imposes risks of VDU (video display unit) exposure, radiation, risks to vision, stress related problems and physical injury such as RSI (repetitive strain injury). E-business implementation will require planning for proper ergonomics so that risks associated with computer-based technologies are avoided. Addressing ergonomics issues will result in methods of designing machines, operations, workstations and environments so that they match human capabilities and limitations. Information on safety issues can be incorporated in the training programs.

c. Staffing, Reward System and New Job Designs

A series of staffing issues regarding redeployment, retrenchment, higher salaries, improved benefits or recruitment of additional staff is an important consideration before e-business is implemented. New job designs can be reinforced with appropriate rewards. Rewards encourage employees to accept change, take up training and new or additional responsibilities. The reward system will need to be carefully designed with respect to fairness and equity.