Purpose
The purpose of this research paper is to explicitly identify the impacts of information technology on workplace literacy. The independent variable is workplace literacy while the dependent variable is information technology. The study will adopt qualitative research through a mixed method.
Background
In the last three decades, information technology in the form of information systems has revolutionized the business approach across the globe. Reflectively, information technology is vital towards transforming and coordinating efficient role execution in a workplace (Kirk, 2004). In relation to the workplace, information technology has made distribution and storage of data sustainable.
In the today’s dynamic business environment, the competitive market place requires knowledgeable employees. Information technology on its own cannot be sustainable when the employees lack proper training or are illiterate in different structures and functioning of information technology application (Cheuk, 2009). At present, the premium is higher on skilled employees than was the case in the past decade, since jobs are constantly evolving. Information technologies in the form of internet, social media, and communication systems have an impact on workplace literary.
Information technology has direct effect on learning curves, product life cycles, and speed of adapting to changes in the workplace (Cheuk, 2009). Besides, information technology has made the skill gaps within organization to widen since inadequate knowledge of the information system translates into illiteracy in the workplace. Thus, it is necessary to explicitly identify the impacts of information technology on workplace literacy in terms of implementation skills, organization learning models, and labour force dynamics.
Expected outcome
The expected outcome is that information technology has positive and negative impacts on workplace literacy. The positive impact on workplace literacy is as a result of proper implementation in the background of a dynamic workforce. The negative impact may be as a result of very quick implementation system without proper training structures or skills (Kirton and Barham, 2005).
Methodology
This research will be conducted using research survey study approach. The researcher chose the qualitative approach because the scope of the research is focused, subjective, dynamic, and discovery oriented. Based on the scope of the study, a self constructed five-item structured questionnaire will become imperative. The questionnaire will be prepared to use 5-point Likert scale. Target respondents, who are the employee, will express a broad range of opinions in the focus topic on the key issues in discussion. The use of the structured questionnaire was inspired by cost effectiveness and relative convenience.
A sample space of 70 participants will be interviewed from ten different organizations within the same industry. This represents the true picture of the activities on the ground. The interviews will be conducted by the researcher because of common characteristics of workplace, industry and region. The collected quantitative data will be coded and passed through Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version seventeen. In the process, cross tabulation will be used to compare and contrast the identified impacts of information technology on workplace literacy.
Outcomes
Insufficient information exists concerning the impact of information technology on workplace literacy. The study will not be a magic bullet, but will only provide structures that must be combined with the values and goals in implementing different information technology systems.
Reference List
Cheuk, B 2009, “Delivering business value through information literacy in the workplace”, Library Journal, vol. 58, no. 2, pp. 137-143, Web.
Kirk, J 2004, Information and work: extending the roles of information professionals’ Challenging ideas, Web.
Kirton, J., & Barham, L 2005, “Information literacy in the workplace”, The Australian Library Journal, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 365-376, Web.