Rlchard Pettlnger

CONCLUSIONS

Information technology, and Web and Internet access, are now more or less universally available and a central part of organization functioning. Problems, and therefore causes of stress, concern:

» perceptions that information systems can be used as a substitute for full management capability and expertise in the areas of communi- cation, information provision, and retention and business planning;

» a lack of understanding of what the communication aspects can be expected to provide and a widespread unwillingness to do anything substantial to address this; and

38 STRESS MANAGEMENT
» a lack of willingness to become proficient (and to insist that everyone who needs to, does so) in the use and application of the technology in particular sets of circumstances, and to understand the environmental and operational pressures and constraints that it may bring.
It is apparent that there are major required features of management expertise if the technology is to be fully exploited and if it is to make an enduring and sustained contribution to business and organization performance. These are also key factors in addressing, managing, and resolving particular problems, stresses, and strains that complex technology brings with it.