Page 21 - Information Management 3rd Edition

Chapter 1 – The role of information management within a business
able to implement changes. This involves the identification of opportunities and the implementation of change when necessary. Changes and new developments must be communicated and implemented in the proper manner.
The information manager has become much more than just another office manager. Owing to the information explosion and technological progress, this function has become crucial in most businesses. As seen in this chapter, the information manager needs to be a multi-skilled person to manage this function effectively. It is not only about managing the information function, but also about coordinating the information needs of the business as a whole.
1.9 The effect of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) on the office environment
NOTE
Pre-pub
This section on the 4IR or Industry 4.0 was added to the course, not so much to teach you about the practical applications thereof, but mostly to familiarise and inform you about the concept and prepare you mentally for probable changes in your industry in the future. These changes are already visible in some industries
and will change the way we work, what we do, how we do it and where we will
do it.
According to literature on the 4IR, more than five million jobs will be lost within the next five years. This might make you feel a bit uneasy, but it should serve as a warning that youcneed to moake sure ypour job is styill current and that you and your business is keeping up with the changing environment. On the negative side, many jobs will be lost, but on the positive side, the changes will create many new opportunities. If you look at businesses around you, it seems that changes
related to Industry
your responsibility to make sure you are still employable if things change as anticipated. The question here is: “How will or how is the office environment affected?” Obviously, not all jobs will be affected in the same way, but according to Shank (2016), the biggest declines in employment will be in the “Office and Administrative” category and this is mostly due to change drivers such as mobile internet, cloud technology and workplace flexibility.
1.9.1 What is Industry 4.0?
Industry 4.0 represents the 4IR in the manufacturing and producing of products. This follows on the first industrial revolution (where water and steam power were used for mechanisation), the second industrial revolution (where mass production and assembly lines were introduced), and the third industrial revolution (the introduction of computers and automation).
Industry 4.0 introduces smart and autonomous systems fuelled by data and machine learning to improve on the trend. It optimises the computerisation of the third industrial revolution (Marr, 2018) and integrates digital connectivity with manufacturing technology to build products faster, better and cheaper (Hill,
4.0 have b
een slow or
even non-e
xistent. However, it remains
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