New Technology O Was The Sale example essay topic

Executive Summary This paper takes a look at the problem that organizations are having with the way in which new technologies are introduced into their businesses. The problem does not rest with the training packages that accompany the new technology it rest with the poor planning that takes place. The paper also focuses in on the negative consequences that new technology brings to the supervisor without proper integration and training being conducted. According to Longenecker, (1998), he calls this problem the "Job Skills Gap Syndrome", a condition, he says, that is spreading rapidly. The "Gap", is the difference between the actual skill level and the skills needed to perform the job efficiently.

A lot of organizations are having problems with training, compound that with the integration of new technology and you have just created the supervisors nightmare. Discussion Policymakers in every organization are interested in improving the efficiency of the systems they have in-place, and if an investment is made in new technology then a return on the investment is expected. According to Barrios-Brad berry, (1998), one issue is Strategic Training and Development doesn't take place. Most of time, companies develop and implement training without a thorough needs analysis resulting in training too much, training to little, or training for the wrong reasons. The overall long-term result is that employees / supervisors are not equipped or empowered to facilitate change.

Normally, the following is how new technology is introduced to organizations which creates major problems for the supervisor. Big Business offers this new technology with the promise of improved efficiency and lower operating cost. This new technology is mostly force feed down to the line with little or no input from the actual user or the supervisor on the implementation plan or the training plan. When the sale is made final a train the trainer team is supplied by the vendor and the product is introduced into the organization. The problems start to develop prior to this point but normally the responsibility for failure is laid on the low-quality of the training support package, the problem is compounded by the organization that is receiving the training not ensuring that the main supervisors from that department's where the new technology is headed aren't included in training. This happens in most instances due to the organizations unwillingness to cut the supervisors lose to go to training or mandating that the supervisors go to training.

The training is conducted regardless of who goes; the vendor completes the contract and leaves. As the vendor departs the organization is supposed to be left with a more efficient and cost effective system. According to Longenecker, what actually transpires at the ground level is that the ineffective training kills the bottom line. On one end the supervisor has the higher office on his or her back that rightly wants a return on the investment and at the other end the subordinates are seeking direction for the new technology, what actually transpires at this point is the supervisor receives more undue stress with out solutions to fix the problems. According to Longenecker, it seems that the organization's get so caught up in the rush to train personnel around new fads, processes and procedures, or the new and improved business technologies and techniques that they fail to train to a performance standard. In Longenecker, survey of organizations during the time of change the following was noted; 40% reported employees experienced increase frustration and stress; 39% have seen a reduction in motivation; 33 percent noted that employees felt their personal performance had been ineffective.

As the problem spins out of control, that is, other areas of the organization that this supervisor was supposed to have focus on slips along with inefficient use of the new resources. Possibly even termination or loss of highly skilled employees happen as a direct result of this new technology. Hopefully at some point during the implementation of the new technology someone steps in and does a proper analysis and fixes the problem before to much damage is caused. Regardless of when the analysis takes place the solution will cost the organization more dollars due to the strategic training and development process not taking place at the forefront.

New technology is great and organizations can have a good return on investment as long as all the key players show up for the game. Project management methodology in an organization not only has to include getting all the key players to buy off on the new technology, but also that of getting those same key players to believe (have vision) its their decision (take ownership) that it is being applied (total empowerment) in the first place. Without total integration taking place regardless of how state-of-the-art the new technology is, it's going to meet stiff resistance during implementation and as a result have cost overruns and not meet the estimated performance goals. The importance of bringing all the players to the table during the integration of the new technology can be summed up by a statement from the Governor of Washington State. According to Governor Locke, (2001), an agreement can't be met on his transportation package, due to the fact that there are no funds in the budget to educate the residence of Washington State on the importance of raising taxes today to solve tomorrow's transportation woes. Governor Locke would rather not upgrade technology without proper integration.

Every dollar that is spent during the front-loading preparation of the implementation of new technology is going to pay off in big returns down the road. The further that integration goes the greater the payoff. There are plenty of great training solutions out there, what they are missing is the integration plan, or if there is one it's of poor quality. Some integration plans are going to be complex while others will be as simple as in the case of the RUAN Transportation Management Systems Incorporated, (Fleet Equipment 1998). RUAN, in seeking a solution to maintenance problems brought on by a new technology they sent a team of technicians to the manufacturing facilities to learn more about the assembly of the equipment, along with the equipment strengths and weaknesses. Regardless how innovative an organization is some other items that should be looked at when implementing new technology are... o Is there a sales market plan in place targeted to lowest level of the organization that will be affected by the new technology? o Was the sale complete?

That is, has total ownership, vision, and total empowerment been reached, at lest at the optimal performer level? o Are highly interactive activities being conducted with opportunities for feedback without fear of reprisal taking place? o Has changes been implemented from the feedback and has proper recognition been given to the party's responsible for the change? (Published for all to see) o Are optimal performers involved during review of training packages? o Are the goals realistic to the optimal performers? Front-loading preparation of the implementation of new technology if properly conducted results in growth and total employee involvement takes place along with by-products like: supervisor and employee competence picks up, supervisors and employers start to develop action plans that address performance improvement, training programs that link individual performance requirements with quantifiable measures start to be addressed, demonstrable productivity gains start to surface, and measurement of the impact through assessment of the performance improvement are easily attained, not to mention the return on investment that will advance economic growth. If there is no integration plan or it's of poor quality the following is likely to take place to some degree. o Higher than planned cost so Excessive rework or maintenance o Delays in deployment of new systems o Inefficient use will not meet the performance goal so Loss of great supervisors and employees or loss of job satisfaction o Loss of production in other areas of the organization due to the distraction o Loss of trust by all parities o Supervisor and employee competence goes down Policymakers in every organization are interested in improving the efficiency of the systems they have in-place, and if an investment is made in new technology then a return on the investment is expected, were things often go wrong with the current process that is used by lot of organization today is the lack of an integration plan or a poorly constructed one and not due to the training packages that accompany the new technology.

The point cannot be stressed enough in the importance of total employee involvement in the integration plan and how it starts off with a proper sale: establishing vision, ownership and empowerment to the lowest level possible. The negative consequences that new technology brings to supervisor without proper integration and training being conducted can be completely avoided, don't get caught in the, "Job Skills Gap Syndrome".

Bibliography

Longenecker, C. (1998).
Ineffective Training Kills the Bottom Line [On-line]. Available: web (1998) The View of Taft [On-line].
Available: web Equipment; Lincolnwood: (1998).
RUAN Transportation Management Systems [On-line]. Available: web R. (Executive Producer). (2001, July 26).