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local management information system
, and 
localised data processing
while retaining access to 
centrally held databases 
and programs. Office automation can therefore encourage a tendency towards 
decentralisation 
of authority within an organisation. 
On the other hand, such systems help 
head office 
to 
keep in touch 
with what is going on in local 
offices. Head office can therefore readily monitor and control the activities of individual departments, 
and retain a co-ordinating influence.
2.8.5 Customer service 
Office automation, in some organisations, results in 
better customer service
. When an organisation 
receives large numbers of telephone enquiries from customers, the staff who take the calls should be 
able to provide a prompt and helpful service if they have 
online access 
to the organisation's data files. 
2.8.6 Homeworking or remote working 
Advances in communications technology have, for some tasks, 
reduced the need for the actual 
presence of an individual in the office
. 
The 
advantages to the organisation 
of homeworking are as follows. 
(a) 
Cost savings on space
. Office rental costs and other charges can be very expensive. If firms can 
move some of their employees on to a homeworking basis, money can be saved. 
(b) A 
larger pool of labour
. The possibility of working at home might attract more applicants for 
clerical positions, especially from people who have other demands on their time (eg going to and 
from school) which cannot be fitted round standard office hours. 
(c) 
If the homeworkers are 
freelance
, then the organisation 
avoids the need to pay them 
when there 
is insufficient work, when they are sick, on holiday, etc. 
Performance objective PO5 of your Practical Experience Requirements requires you to be able to ’work 
with others to recognise, assess and improve business performance. You use different techniques and 
technology to do this’. You can apply the knowledge that you learn from this section on the role of 
information technology to help you demonstrate this competence.
BPP Tutor Toolkit Copy

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