Towards an information-rich society: Lessons from transformations in state and local governments of The United States of America

The transformations that American state and local governments are experiencing as a result of information technologies may hold lessons for Malaysian governmental units as they evolve toward the goal of an information-rich society. New information technologies are incrementally transforming the ways American state and local governments are organized, the activities they perform, how they perform them, and the nature of work itself. These transformations pose substantial challenges in five respects: (1) worker displacement; (2) the creation of new jobs; (3) skill transformation; (4) redefinition of the temporal, physical, and social meaning of public service; and (5) technology-induced stress. A variety of steps can be taken to facilitate adaptation to these challenges. One is the development of a comprehensive worker adjustment policy. Such a policy should offer a positive vision about how the needs and interests of employees will be met as new technology is introduced. Worker adjustment policies should also be attentive to training requirements, career counseling, job search assistance, and related considerations. Management and control systems, such as budgeting, planning and classification systems, will need to be modified to facilitate improved human resource decision making. Executive leadership and the creation of appropriate incentives are also important elements of any effort to manage the adaptation to technological change.