Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You tell her that computers will get rid of some of the workers,
but also make work easier for the remaining staff.
You recommend introducing computers that will make some people's jobs
more efficient and make other jobs unnecessary. It's the thing to do
if the company is serious about cleaning up its mismanaged system. This is
the real-life decision made by Mark Fleeson.
"I get asked this every so often, but because of my moral and religious
beliefs I can't do it," he says. "Generally, I state that there is always
a need for a check to be made on an automated system."
Fleeson insists that computers simply aren't meant to replace people.
"They are there to aid, not to replace," he says.
Automation consultants must be decisive, says Steve Thomas. He is an automation
consultant. "You're always having to choose between alternatives," he
says. "Do want to go with NT? Do you want to go with Novell? Or are you going
with a wired network system, a dial-up network system, a wireless bridge?"
And the consequences of an error can be costly since hardware and software
changes can be rather expensive. "You can spend a lot of money on stuff that
doesn't work," he says.