With the advent of technological innovations, there has been a great revolution in management systems adopted by organization. Management systems are the primary determinants of the success level of any business undertaking. In the present world, technology controls almost every aspect of business management- right from the simple office tasks, for example, passing of messages across offices, to the most complex tasks that involves managing business units spread all over the world through a virtual management system.
Hence considering the role played by technology in the overall running and success of business units, incorporating of technological tools properly into management systems is one of the prime issues that poses many challenges to managers. For example, in 1993, although Greyhound Bus Company used approximately $6 million to develop a new receipt system in its bus trip, the systems failed, making the company to loose more than $ 61.4 million in addition to loosing its top management teams.
Depending on the mechanisms used by managers in introducing technological tools in the general running of a business unit, introduction of such tools can either complicate or simplify managers’ roles. It is important to note that- the success of any endeavor to include technological tools in the overall running of organizations depends on the innovative nature of the management team.
This is because failure by management teams to integrate technological tools in the overall running of an organization properly may lead to many management problems. In addition, regardless of the scope of management practices adopted by organizations, employees’ level of work proficiency is the primary determinant of an organization’s success.
The ever-changing working environments require employees to upgrade their skills on a continuous basis. Management teams have to ensure information technology tools are in place, because these tools, for example, the internet contain the most updated and latest information.
Use of wrong approaches to integrate such skill-enhancement opportunities can lead to many management problems, as different employees may have differing interpretations of such practices. Correct integration of such tools in an endeavor to ensure an organization achieves its set targets is one of the primary challenges that face management teams.
In addition to the smooth running of businesses, technological tools are of great significance in ensuring a business unit remains viable and competent in meeting the ever-changing socio-economic and working patterns’ needs.
Through a well-established business network, management teams can develop methodologies of promoting business growth, establish strong business relationships within and outside an organization, and devise mechanisms of minimizing obstacles that are likely to affect the smooth running of business units.
For example, with the business diversification concept, without information technology tools, it could be very hard for managers to supervise and control virtual organizations effectively. It is important to note that- although technological innovations have made some business practices easy, still they pose other management challenges to management teams.
Such challenges include transferring of core competencies, balancing of resources, and meeting the needs of virtual team members. Considering the challenges that come with technological innovations, managers always have the duty of formulating appropriate strategies of solving them, hence making technology one of the critical issues facing managements.
In conclusion, the more technological innovations management teams bring into business, the more challenges management teams are likely to face, as they have to ensure they formulate better policies of integrating such systems into the smooth running of organizations.
This is because although managers may introduce technology tools for the viability of an organization, rarely do all employees appreciate such innovations, for some may feel that such innovations are a threat to their jobs. Failure by managers to convince employees that their endeavors are for good intentions may lead to employee revolts and work boycotts, hence, jeopardizing the smooth running of an organization.