A Journey from Paper to Paperless Office - Essay Example

635- 650; 2005; Dos Santos & Wright, pp.53- 64; 2001; Miesing, pp753-770, 2003; Salmon, pp.491-502, 2000; Scifres et al., pp247-250, 2003). For example, Cohen and Lippert (pp745, 2005) commented that computer-based workflow "may be useful for skills-based training but may not be useful for creative-thinking workflow or general paperless workplace." Thus, several researchers have suggested that rather than replacing traditional with on-line workflow, the benefits of both traditional and paperless techniques could be realized through mixed-mode workflow in which face-to-face business but paperless workflow which is enhanced by using the Web (Bigelow, pp.

635- 650; 2005; Bilimoria, pp.232-243, 2006; Dos Santos & Wright, pp.53- 64; 2001; Human et al., pp.584- 606, 2005; Miesing,pp753-770; 2003; Parikh & Verma, pp. 27- 46, 2002; Salmon, pp. 491-502, 2000). Such a mixed mode of interaction usually consists of traditional workplace workflow augmented by using a web portal that enables employees to--among other things--continue discussion of project concepts and cases outside the workplace (when travelling etc) using a bulletin board; conduct group work on-line through chat rooms; take tests on-line; and access office files, collaborate and communicate, video/voice conference on-line (e.g., Bigelow, pp.

635- 650; 2005; Dos Santos & Wright, pp.53- 64; 2001; Fredickson, pp.67-77, 2005; Shrivastava, pp.691-702, 2005). Specifically, a firm that operates as an intelligent . services to clients; creates a collaborative culture that encourages sharing and learning; and deploys technology solutions that help eliminate repeatable processes, capture knowledge, enhance client communications, and attract and retain the most talented professionals.Researchers have argued that "paperless workplace in particular, could benefit from the use of some of these technologies" in conjunction with traditional methods (Bilimoria, pp.

232-243, 2006; Dos Santos & Wright, pp.53- 64; 2001: 53; Salmon, pp. 491-502, 2000). Transferring administrative and purely informational aspects of workflow to the web portal frees up office time for employees to work on interpersonal and communication skills, which are critical to success in project completion, which have been found to be best developed through face-to-face traditional methods (e.g., Bigelow, pp. 635- 650; 2005; Dos Santos & Wright, pp.53- 64; 2001; Scifres et al., pp. 247-250, 2003).

The use of a web portal as a supplement to traditional management projects has also been found to increase employees' participation in discussion of cases and project concepts and to lead to more thorough and higher quality discussion than in traditional workplaces alone (Bilimoria, pp.232-243, 2006; Dos Santos & Wright, pp.53- 64; 2001). Paperless workplace researchers have also demonstrated that by encouraging an active workplace environment in which employees communicate virtually and asynchronously, the use of a web portal can help develop technological and communications skills that enable employees to increase their productivity and get more comfortable with computers in the workplace" (Meisel & Marx, 2005: 719).

A web portal can also be used to reduce the number of in-office lectures and face-to-face group meetings in a