Alienation. Computerization. Employment. Mass-production. These are some
of the words associated with the introduction of computers into the work environment,
mainly beginning on a large scale basis in 1970 and continuing on to the present day and
beyond. Between the 1970's and 1990's, the work environment was impacted
significantly. This initial development of computers for use in industry and business
played an important role in the development of businesses. New jobs have been created
to deal with computers. Mundane, repetitive jobs have been taken over by computers.
The computer has even been introduced to the management level of businesses to assist in
decision making. All around the office, computers have become commonplace (Spencer
107). But what were these industries like before computers came to their assistance?
Obviously, commerce functioned prior to the introduction of computers.
However, employees were required to perform many tasks that automation eventually
made easier. These tasks have predominantly consisted of clerical operations, such as
check processing, payroll, inventory control, bookkeeping, etc. However, automation
also included other tasks at the industrial and management level such as business
planning, marketing reports and sales reports. Most of these tasks were performed using
pencil and paper, or in some cases, the typewriter, and every record or other document
was stored by means of some filing method such as filing cabinets or book shelves. Other
tasks, such as those involving the manipulation of machinery were done by hand. If a
machine had to be assembled, it was assembled using "mostly-human" assembly lines.
Machines were not around to assist in handling substances; substance manipulation and
data reception from chemicals was also dealt with by hand (Stern and Stern 238). In
essence, many tasks that were dealt with by...