資訊科技對組織扁平化影響-探討台灣企業導入Intranet之組織變化

The Impact of Information Technology (Intranet) on Organizational Downsizing of Taiwanese Companies

朱蓓儀(Pei-I Chu)

指導教授 ： 王秉鈞

元智大學/資訊學院/資訊管理學系/碩士(2001年)

摘要

資訊科技（Information Technology，IT）在現今企業組織中是不可或缺的必備工具。許多國外大企業聲稱他們因為資訊科技導入使得組織呈現扁平化（Organization Downsizing）的現象。然而對於資訊科技是否將改變組織原有結構，並且促使組織變得扁平，至今仍沒有共識。有些學者認為中階主管是高階主管和基層主管之間的資訊傳遞角色，一旦IT引入組織之後，將會取代中階主管資訊傳遞的工作，因此主張資訊科技將導致組織中階主管減少(Hoos, 1960; Whisler, 1970; Crowston et al., 1986; Brynjolfsson, 1988; Mann and Williams, 1960; Robey, 1981; Foster and Flynn, 1984)；但另外一些學者卻認為中階主管不僅是資訊傳遞的角色，往往還兼具部份決策能力，因此主張資訊科技導入後中階主管的人數有不減反增的現象(Lee, 1964; Meyer, 1968; Pfeffer and Leblebici, 1977; Shaul, 1964; Klatzdy, 1970; Bjorn-Andersen and Perdersen, 1980; Geroge, 1986; Millman and Kartwick, 1987)。目前關於資訊科技對組織扁平化研究之背景皆集中於歐美國等國家，與台灣產業型態有97.73%的企業皆為中小企業出口型經濟大為不同(中小企業白皮書,民國89年)。組織扁平化的理論是否適用於台灣企業環境，有必要深究。本研究探討台灣企業組織在導入資訊科技後組織結構的變化及中階主管是否會因為導入資訊科技而減少，進而驗證組織扁平化理論。
過去有關於組織扁平化研究大多集中於歐美地區，而台灣企業體系與西方國家大不相同，其研究結果適用性有待深究。因此本研究探討台灣企業組織導入資訊科技現況，藉以了解組織結構的變化及中階主管是否會因為導入資訊科技而減少或消失，進而驗證組織扁平化理論。
本研究採用問卷的方式進行調察，研究結果如下：
1.IT導入造成組織扁平化論點是個理論迷思。
2.IT導入直接衝擊的是基層主管而非中階主管。
3.IT對組織的影響受到行業別以及企業規模二因素的干擾。
4.企業成長因素才是組織改變的主要因素。
『IT的導入並未造成組織人數以及階層數的明顯改變，亦即IT並非必然使得組織造成扁平，或促使中階主管人數減少；相反的，本研究卻發現，資訊科技導入對基層主管的衝突大於其對中階主管地位的威脅。』

關鍵字

資訊科技 ； 組織扁平化 ； 中階主管

並列摘要

Information technology (IT) has been used as an important tool for supporting various operations in in organizations. Many global companies are reported that it yiels in an organizational downsizing when they introduce IT into their organizations. However, it does not have a consistent conclusion in previous studies about whether the implementation of IT will imply the change of organizational architecture and will prompt organizational downsizing. Some studies suggest that the implementation of a information system will reduce the number of middle managers in the organizations. These researches suggest that the major role of middle mangers is as a bridge for the communication between the top managers and line workers. In contrast, some studies pointed out that the implementation of information system will increase the number of middle managers. These studies propose that the role of middle managers is not only as a communicator but also as a decision-maker. In addition, the previous studies that are concerned about the impacts of IT on organizational downsizing focus on Europe and U.S. context. Yet, it will be unsuitable to apply their research to Taiwan’s context because Taiwan’s business environment is very different from that in Europe and U.S. Specifically, 97.73% of companies are small and middle enterprises in Taiwan. Therefore, it is necessary to review the suitability of organizational downsizing theory in this context.
This thesis explores the impact of IT on the number of middle managers in Taiwan context. A survey is conducted in this study. Four research findings are provided. First, IT does not always yield in either organizational downsizing or the decreasing the number of middle managers. Second, the implementation of IT promotes a decentralized administrative structure. Third, the impact of IT is directly on the career path of line managers rather than middle managers. Fourth, the expanding on organization scale is the most important factor toward the change of organizational hierarchy rather than IT. Therefore, this study suggests that “information technology yields in organizational downsizing” is a myth

並列關鍵字

Information Technology ； Organizational Downsizing ； Middle Managers

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