This book is about people and skilled work. There has been much turmoil in the business environment about how to best manage the balance between people and technology, at a time when pressures for cost reduction are ever greater. Our argument is that people are central to business success, and the appropriate use of technology should support their needs. This is not always easy in practice. We work in a period when change occurs in ever-shortening cycles. Black-and-white solutions may seem attractive, but the long-term consequences are rarely advantageous. A new system is required, build ing on lessons from the past. Human-centred systems build upon core skills of the workforce within a rich, emancipatory environment, utilising the benefits of tech nology. Change can be embraced to achieve competitive advantage and mutual benefit. The three authors are, respectively, engineering director of an inno vative international manufacturing company; analyst for an inter national merchant bank; and university business school professor. The book is intended to offer a new synthesis of theory and practical experience, derived from recent British and European collaborative pro grammes. We are grateful to our colleagues and families for their tolerance during the writing of this book. Even human-centred books impose pressures on busy people. Old Windsor, Brighton and Kingston, June 1995 A.A. R.K.

A new generation of speech-driven personal computer systems promises to transform the business use of Information Technology. This is not merely a matter of discarding the keyboard, but of rethinking business processes to take advantage of the increased productivity that speech-driven systems can bring. Malcolm McPherson is one of the pioneers of this fast-moving field, and has been personally involved in the development of systems that have met business needs across many industrial sectors.

Recent and well-publicised disasters have highlighted the fact that organisations of all kinds - from healthcare to aerospace - are critically dependent on Information Technology systems. The prevention of catastrophic I.T. failure is now an essential part of management. In this thought-provoking guide for executives and managers Richard Ennals argues that the critical factor is not technology, but people and communication.

"The book will provide both thought-provoking questions and stimulating answers to the key factors in HR development today." IT Training Human Resource Development is the ideal handbook for all professional trainers and provides core information needed by all professional students of this subject. This new second edition has been fully updated and revised, with the inclusion of three new chapters making this the most topical book in this field: *Design, Development and Application of E-learning; *Knowledge Management & Transfer; *Human & Intellectual Capital. Clearly structured with detailed sections covering each aspect of the training cycle, the book also includes sections on: *The Role of Learning Training and Development in Organisations *Learning and Competitive Strategy * The Identification of Learning, Training and Development Needs * The Planning and Designing of Learning, Training and Development *Delivering Learning, Training and Development *Assessment and Evaluation of Learning, Training and development *Managing the Human Resource Development Function Co-ordinated and edited by Dr John P. Wilson, individual contributors include Professor Geoff Chivers, Professor of Continuing Education, Sheffield University, Joan Keogh OBE and Colin Beard both senior lecturers, Sheffield Hallam University, Alan Cattall, University of Bradford plus many more leading academics in the field of Human Resource Development.

This handbook has been designed for those working in the health and social services who need to develop their knowledge of the computer and its potential applications. It demonstrates how computers can contribute to the solution of a range of problems enco

One of Forbes's Top Ten Technology Books of the Year How to redesign ‘big, old’ companies for digital success—featuring a survey of 300+ business leaders and 30+ global organizations, including Amazon, Uber, LEGO, Toyota North America, Philips, and USAA. Most established companies have deployed such digital technologies as the cloud, mobile apps, the internet of things, and artificial intelligence. But few established companies are designed for digital. This book offers an essential guide for retooling organizations for digital success through 5 key building blocks: • Shared Customer Insights • Operational Backbone • Digital Platform • Accountability Framework • External Developer Platform In the digital economy, rapid pace of change in technology capabilities and customer desires means that business strategy must be fluid. As a result, business design has become a critical management responsibility. Effective business design enables a company to quickly pivot in response to new competitive threats and opportunities. Most leaders today, however, rely on organizational structure to implement strategy, unaware that structure inhibits, rather than enables, agility. In companies that are designed for digital, people, processes, data, and technology are synchronized to identify and deliver innovative customer solutions—and redefine strategy. Digital design, not strategy, is what separates winners from losers in the digital economy. Designed for Digital offers practical advice on digital transformation, with examples that include Amazon, BNY Mellon, DBS Bank, LEGO, Philips, Schneider Electric, USAA, and many other global organizations. Drawing on 5 years of research and in-depth case studies, the book is an essential guide for companies that want to disrupt rather than be disrupted in the new digital landscape.