Assessment of impacts of telematics onto industrial structures

Abstract

Abstract The assessment of structural changes of firms, which occured with the implementation of new information and communication technologies and services (telematics), is led through case studies in the petrochemical industry and mass retail sector. The main structural changes are related to organizational structures within firms, optimization of financial relationships, improvement of decision making and cost reduction in the purchase and stock functions, and enhanced control on labour flexibility. The observations show that the idea of “structuring” effects of telematics is not quite correct, because there is no clear determinism from technology into organization. Strategic options of firms are more important than constraints or virtues devoted to telematics. Even if there is no technological determinism, some major trends may be identified. Telematics should spread quickly only if it is implemented as a flexible tool for management purposes. The increased flexibility of labour has to be regulated through training and negotiation. Any further telecommunication policy should take account of user interests in the normalization of advanced communication protocols. This emergence of users is a major policy issue.