Automation in the workplace: An Australasian perspective

Abstract

Automation is adopted to achieve greater production throughput, high levels of productivity and greater value adding. The rationale behind the implementation of automation in industry is now being more closely investigated. The philosophy that all types of automation will benefit the organization is now being seriously contested in the literature. The researchers found that best practice companies are finding new ways of automating processes and consequently gaining a long-term strategic advantage. The best practice companies included in this project considered automation to be a central element of strategic and operations planning, people management and facility design. Many of these organizations used lean production techniques to improve the implementation and operation of automated manufacturing systems. These companies placed emphasis on the automation of the process rather than on automating existing processes. The best practice organizations achieved this by involving people at the basic design and planning stages and using logical processes to identify the most suitable processes for automation. Companies wishing to gain a competitive advantage from automation should adopt comprehensive worker involvement programmes, introduce the automation of processes slowly and incrementally, whilst increasing the flow of ideas across work boundaries. Planning for automation in an organization must start at the strategic planning stage and then incorporate all phases of the management process including planning, leading, resource allocation and control systems.