Office automation and work for women

Directorate-General For Translation European Commission

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Working conditions
Labour market - free movement of workers

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• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION
• Nombre de lectures: 15
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

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DOCUMENT
OFFICE AUTOMATION
AND WORK FOR WOMEN
COMMISSION
OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES OFFICE AUTOMATION
AND WORK FOR WOMEN This document has been prepared for use within the Commission. It does not
necessarily represent the Commission's official position.
This publication is also available in the following language:
FR ISBN 92-825-4887-2
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1984
ISBN 92-825-4886-4
Catalogue number: CB-42-84-000-EN-C
Articles and texts appearing in this document may be reproduced freely in whole or
in part providing their source is mentioned.
Printed in Belgium rommission of the European Communities
OFFICE AUTOMATION AND WORK FOR WOMEN
Monique CHALUOE
Scientific direction
Marcel BOLLE DE BAL
Document It does not This document has been prepared for use within the Commission,
necessarily reoresent the Commission's official position. PERSONAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Our sincerest thanks are due to:
Professor M. iiOLLE DE BAL for his unstinting confidence
and stimulating advice;
the Commission of the European Communities for funding
this project;
the staff of the Bureau for Questions concerning Employment
and Equal Treatment for Women - particularly Mrs. Odile
QUINTIN - for their action on women's behalf;
Mrs. Annie VAN HOUTVIN and our colleagues at the Work
Sociology Centre for their humour and attentive listening;
E. BUYSSENS who helped to organise the talks in one
of the firms investigated;
Mr. J.-P. de BLA3IS for the information and ideas that
he shrired with us;
Mrs. Tania BAKOUNINE who typed up this report;
the numerous principals and members of staff in the firms
we visited, as well as the people we talked to
(consultants, researchers, practitioners), who gave us
the benefit of their time and their experience.
.Ve take thin opportunity to express our gratitude to
ali of them.
April 198^ The present would bear in it all
manner of futures were it not that
the past already cast upon it the
shadow of history.
André' GIDE. TABLE OF CONTENTS
Paire
SUMMARY OF THE STUDY AND ACTION GUIDELINES A-F
INTRODUCTION 1
PARTI:THESTUDY'S GEHESAL CONTEXT3
CHAPTERI:THEBASE CONTRACT5
1.Thecontract partner5
2.Thestudy'sobjectives5
3. The relevance of the research 6
'u The basic hypothesis7
CHAPTER II : METHODS ANDTOOLS9
1. The method 9
2.Sourcesofinformation10
3.Sample11
k.Frameworkof talks11
5.Thehypotheses13
PART II : TH.S SURVEY 15
CHAPTER I: OFFICE AUTOMATION - WHAT IS IT? 17
1. Knowingwhatthey'retalkingabout,orthe many
definitionsofoffice automation■17
2. Outlineofequipmentand itsfieldofapplication20
3. I'hepublicconcerned23
h. Howonejustifiesthe introduction of office automation,
orthecurrentdebate25
CHAPTKH II : CASE STUDIES 31
I. DistributioncompanyA33
CaseA1:Introduction of word processors
forsecretaries35- II -
Case A 2: Brussels Personnel Department 41
Case A J>: Legal Service 47
Case A k: Stores Purchasing Administrative Centre *. 55
II. Commercial firm Β 63
III. Structural steel firm C
IV. Banking firm D 7
V. Firm of insurance brokers E (France) 85
PART III : THE ISSUES 9
I. INTRODUCTION OF OFFICE AUTOMATION INTO THE FIRM 9
a) Decision
b) Cautious implantation6
c) The productivity objective 96,
d) The first target: typists, secretaries and clerks 97
e) Office automation: a historic opportunity? 98
f) Authoritarian or participatory nrocess?
g) Prestige of the machine 99.
II. CHOICE.OF HARDWARE 101
III. ORGANISATION OF THE WORK4
a) The typing pool
b) Self-service machines5
c) One secretary for several bosses 10
IV. QUALIFICATIONS 106
V. EMPLOYMENT8
a) Job elimination
b) New jobs and career possibilities9
VI. TRAINING 112
VII. WORK RELATIONSHIPS IK
CONCLUSIONS7
APPENDIX : telecommuting 121
ANNEX : Framework of talks9
BIBLIOGRAPHY ' I33