Assignment topics and scope

¶ … personal computer has transformed the way we think and the way we do business. Considering what the computer's basic functions are -- to process and organize information quickly, to act as a means of communication -- would improve efficiency. In theory, fewer people would be needed to perform tasks and the time needed to complete a task would be lowered. In addition, fewer resources would need to be consumed in order to produce an output of labor. That this has not transpired has become what is known as the productivity paradox (Brynjolfsson, 1994).

There is evidence, however, that computers have not generated productivity gains. Indeed, some studies have indicated that they actually reduce productivity in the workplace. Computers have become what are known as "time sinks," in that they provide employees with ways to spend time on non-productive activities. The outcome of this is that as much as 1/16th of the economy - $900 billion -- is wasted in productivity losses as the result of computers in the workplace (Wood, 2010). One of the mail culprits of this is e-mail -- workers spend an average of 7.3 hours a week dealing with their email. That is one-fifth of their time, and not all of that email is valuable.

The conclusion that can be drawn is that while computers have given us the tools we need to be more productive, it has also introduced new tasks that have absorbed some of that newly-created free time.

2) There are two key transformations that take place in a restaurant. The first key change is that raw ingredients are turned into meals. This transformation takes place in the kitchen and is the principle product at a restaurant. Value is added during that process, and the quality of one's kitchen is a key determinant of success in the industry.

A restaurant is also a service business as well. The second transformation is that of taking an incoming customer and turning that person it a happy, well-fed customer (Gillespie, 2007). The service element of the restaurant -- table service, timeliness, atmosphere -- is as critical if not more critical to the success of a restaurant. Customers expect a high level of service, and they want an atmosphere that makes their meal more pleasurable. The restaurant's ability to transform an unfed, potentially happy customer to a sated, happy customer is a challenge for both the front-of-house service staff and for the kitchen.

3) Hopefully the next big thing in productivity is more effective than the computer. In the past several years and decades, the drive for efficiency has been driven by technological improvements but also by technique improvements. A mathematical focus and rigorous statistical analysis have driven efficiency, but improvements of late have been more incremental in nature.

What statistical analysis has not addressed is communication. As we move towards a global environment, people will increasingly need to deal with other cultures, other languages and other norms. Miscommunication and inefficient communication not only reduces efficiency, but it also introduces the element of risk in international business transactions. Beyond that, the desire to avoid such difficulties limits some businesses in the types of transactions and business relationships that they will choose to pursue. This next big thing to improve productivity will be a device that can eliminate miscommunication. Translation software is becoming increasingly sophisticated, as is speech recognition software. Where improvements in these two software forms meets powerful portable devices, there is significant opportunity for a device that eliminates language and other communications barriers.

4) The role of the World Trade Organization is a non-governmental organization that deals with the rule of trade between nations. The WTO facilitates trade agreements between nations and provides the framework for negotiating trade agreements (WTO.org, 2010). The WTO oversees negotiations on the various agreements. The organization also provides a dispute resolution mechanism for member countries engaged in trade with one another.

The World Trade Organization is primarily good for the United States. As the world's largest economy, the U.S. has a high degree of bargaining power during WTO negotiations. As a result of this, the United States is able to tailor the trade agreements made under the WTO to the needs of the country. This has allowed U.S. trade to continually expand. The United States worked to bring China into the WTO in order to build stronger trade links with that country and works with other nations to get them into the WTO as well. The WTO provides a dispute resolution mechanism, which is one of the major reasons why the U.S. wanted to bring China into the organization. Having such mechanisms allows the U.S. To defend its own interests in world trade (Lynch, 2010).

5) One discipline that will contribute to the development of organizational management is going to be human resources. As we move towards an information-based society, it is more important to find ways to better use this critical resource. There are a lot of areas of where HR will contribute to management. By identifying, retaining and motivating key people, the organization will gain greater control over its information. Managing people equates to managing information, and this equates to managing the organization.

One technology that will contribute to the development of OM in the future is remote communications. Organizations will increasingly need to find ways to maintain strong communication links with their employees even as those employees are located remotely, all over the world.