The effects of new technology on information work: examples from chemical companies

A study is made of a survey by interview and questionnaire of the effects of new technology on online searching in a number of chemical companies, the aim being to establish the forms of technology involved and their effects on budget, information staff and end users. Technologies currently in use and anticipated are investigated and noted; these, together with other factors which arose in the discussions and their effects, are summarized, and conclusions drawn It was generally found that the developments in technology over the last decade or so had had some effect on budget, but respondents were often more concerned with the sociological effects of the new technologies on both information staff and end users.