A20. Rice,
R.E. (1986). Applying the human relations perspective to the study of
new
media. Computers and Society, 15(4), 32-37.
The Human Relations perspective is one of six perspectives,
suggested
by Kling and colleagues, that analysts take when studying the impacts
of
computers. This short note looks at the assumptions of this perceptive
by focussing on a particular component of the human relations approach.
This component is the participation or involvement of
users
in the implementation and management of communication systems in
organizations.
It very briefly notes prior reference to sociotechnical systems
research.
This note considers the implications of using the human relations
perspective
and the focus on participation in light of results from a lengthy study
of the management of word processing in 200 organizations. It concludes
by considering the joint advantages of the other perspectives in
analyses
of participation.
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