Human Issues in Technology Implementation Management Simulator

Abstract

"A common theme in the U.S. manufacturing sector is to seek improved organizational and national manufacturing competitiveness through the adoption of Advanced Manufacturing Technology (AMT). Unfortunately, as many as, 50 to 75 percent of these efforts result in failure. A primary cause of these failures has been identified as the lack of proper attention to the Human Issues in Technology Implementation (HITI). This paper describes an addition to the currently limited existing body of knowledge and tools in this area, through the identification, analysis, and model formulation of the human issues involved in successful AMT implementation; and deployment of this knowledge through the development of a model based computerized Human Issues in Technology Implementation (HITI) management simulator. With the HITI management simulator, organizations will experience the system dynamics of the human issues involved in implementing technology and be able to develop, test, and receive real time feedback on implementation strategies and tactics. This realistic low cost and no consequence implementation process and team building training will allow organizations to obtain a better understanding of the human issues in technology implementation. Through this better understanding, it is anticipated that the U.S. manufacturing sector will be able to execute more effective AMT implementations and improve both organizational and U.S. manufacturing competitiveness. "