Information technology's mixed impact on managerial effectiveness

Business

Information Technology

Is information technology helping managers be more effective and efficient? Explain your answer.

Information technology has come a long was since the first computers of the 1980s, and predictions back in the day called for a "paperless" office in the future, an office without the need for file cabinets, written communication, and stenographers. Some of that has happened, and that has helped make managers more efficient and concise in their managerial duties. For example, the increase in information technology in most organizations has streamlined inventory, purchasing, bookkeeping and accounting, sales, and just about every aspect of the organization. A manager used to have to wait for handwritten and calculated reports and information, whereas now it is updated and dispatched in the blink of an eye. Managers can make quick, efficient decisions because they have information available immediately, and that has made them more effective. Information technology also helps managers track employee activity, and they can communicate with anyone around the globe in an instant, leading to better communications, better decision-making, and more teamwork. Information technology allows virtual meetings to take place even when departments are thousands of miles away, and it allows communication and data to stream even when the business is closed and management has gone home for the day.