Executive Guide to Business Success through Human-Centred Systems

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-ix

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

   Pages 1-11

3. Insights into Human-Centredness

   • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

   Pages 12-31

4. The New Rules

   • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

   Pages 32-51

5. Business Process Re-Engineering

   • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

   Pages 52-66

6. Empowerment

   • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

   Pages 67-84

7. Teamworking

   • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

   Pages 85-98

8. Skills and Competence

   • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

   Pages 99-112

9. Quality

   • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

   Pages 113-131

10. Developments and the Way Forward

    • Andrew Ainger, Rukesh Kaura, Richard Ennals

    Pages 132-137

11. Back Matter

    Pages 139-181

    PDF

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.

• Design
• Innovation
• Management
• benchmarking
• ethics
• groupware
• knowledge
• learning
• management training

• Information Engineering Group Human Centred Systems Ltd, Old Windsor, Berkshire, UK

  Andrew Ainger

• Kingston Business School, Kingston University, Kingston-upon-Thames, UK

  Richard Ennals

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