The Electronic Office

 

 

What is the electronic office, anyway? So much nonsense is written on this subject daily that it is easy to lose track of what’s important. The authors of The Electronic Office have done a fine job combining the business issues with the technological questions and the practical points. Their book is, as the subtitle says, A Guide for Managers, and well worth reading for office managers who are new to the job and looking for some basic pointers on how to get started. It offers a bit less to experienced office systems planners, who may be familiar with many of the concepts.

 

As the authors say in their preface, “This book has been written to assist managers and other professionals in the transition from a traditionally manual office setting to one that is automated. It is designed primarily for the manager who has little knowledge of the entire concept of the electronic office.” The authors begin by describing the traditional office setting and the automated office setting, drawing parallels and contrast as they go. It might have been better to include more punchy statistics and photos of equipment in the introduction, to further assist first-time office automation managers.

 

The next two chapters discuss in detail feasibility studies and word processing. The authors present a wealth of practical information on how to analyze an office’s word-processing requirements and how to synthesize the best technical and organizational approach to meeting those requirements. I especially welcome the focus on business issues: how much WP will cost, how much it will save, and how it should be organized so a company gets the most for its investment.  Position descriptions are explained in detail, with several examples. This material would be quite valuable for a company that has not yet truly automated its word processing, or for the office managers of smaller branches or divisions.

 

The next chapter examines written communications in the office — why there is so much of it and it costs so much. The authors advocate dictation as an easy way to control costs. I agree completely, yet I have found that many managers resist the idea and have never become comfortable with the process. This book suggests reasons for trying it again and offers some helpful hints to make dictation work for you. Next, we turn to electronic mail, a more complete and more radical answer to the question of what to do about all that office paper. This treatment is quite broad, covering such topics as communicating word processor, telex, computer-based message systems, and facsimile. On the other hand, it is a little too brief to be really helpful in deciding what to do next.

 

The following two chapters are a bit uneven. The section on records management is very good and very thorough. It delivers almost too much information on this rather specialized subject, unless this function falls within your responsibility. This in-depth treatment is followed by a very high-level overview of computer technology. It provides a quick glimpse of the technology and a useful introduction to the terminology.

 

The final chapter covers organizational change and development. This subject cannot be overemphasized.

 

Give the authors credit. They have their eyes on a particular audience: office managers who need to understand thoroughly word processing and records management and who want an introduction to advanced office systems technology, organizational development and other managerial practices. They succeed admirably in reaching this audience.

 

 

 

Reading Comprehension

1. The passage is                 .

 

［A］ a science report on the development of communication

 

［B］ a review of the latest scientific facilities in office

 

［C］ an instruction on how to use office equipment

 

［D］ a review of a recently published book   

 

2. It can be inferred from the second paragraph that the book                 .

 

［A］ is not useful to managers whose offices are not fully automated

 

［B］ does not include photos of modern equipment in it 

 

［C］ is good to managers rather than to any other kinds of persons

 

［D］ does not include detailed descriptions of modern office equipment

 

3. To whom will the book prove less useful?

 

［A］ Experienced office systems planners.

 

 ［B］ Office managers who are new to office jobs.

 

［C］ Managers of smaller branches or divisions.

 

［D］ Managers who are unfamiliar with WPs.

 

4. It is mentioned in the passage that Chapters 2 and 3 of the book focus on                  .

 

［A］ the written communications in the office

 

［B］ the design and budget of the electronic office

 

［C］ the introduction of computer technology

 

［D］ the requirements of an office for automation

 

5. In the last two paragraphs the writer of this passage makes it clear that                 .

 

［A］ organizational change and development should be emphasized 

 

［B］ the need for organizational change and development has been overexaggerated

 

［C］ managers do not understand thoroughly word processing and records management

 

［D］ the book fails to meet the need of one particular group of managers

 

 

 

【答案与题解】

 

1.［D］意为：对最近出版的一本书的评论。

 

  本文是对《电子办公室》一书的评论，只要看一下每段的开头部分便知。

 

2.［B］

 

  参阅第二段最后一句。注意本句是一个虚拟句，言外之意，本书导言部分不包括所提到的办公设备的照片。

 

3.［A］

 

  参阅第一段第四、五句，第二段第二句。

 

4.［B］意为：电子办公室的设计与开支。

 

参阅第三段。第二段提到了第一章的内容(The authors begin by...)，因此，第三段谈到的是第二、三章的内容。

 

5.［A］

 

  倒数第二段第二句指出，这个方面(指上一句提到的organizational change and development)再强调也不过分。

 

 

 

Notes
1.第五段第四句中in瞕epth treatment 作“深入的、彻底的处理”讲。

 

2.最后一段第二句是一个简单句。 句架是They have their eyes on a particular audience: office managers who...and who...。句中have one餾 eyes on 作“特别注意”讲。

 

 

 

 

 

课文参考译文

 

 

 

电 子 办 公 室

 

 

 

究竟什么是电子办公室？关于这个题目每天所写的废话太多了，以致人们容易看不清什么是重要的。《电子办公室》一书的作者们把商业问题与技术问题以及实际问题结合在一起，写得非常出色。他们的书如副标题所说，是“管理者的指南”，非常值得那些刚接管这个工作、正在找一些如何开始的基本提示的办公室管理者一读。对于可能已熟悉许多概念的有经验的办公室系统策划者来说，这本书提供的东西少了一点。

 

如作者们在序言中所说，(写这本书)是为了帮助管理者和其他专业人员从传统的手工办公环境向自动化办公环境过渡。(这本书)主要是为完全不了解电子办公概念的管理者设计的。作者们从描述传统的办公环境和自动化办公环境开始，并在描述的同时指出两者相似和差别之处。如果在导言中多加上一些简洁的统计数字和设备的图片以便进一步帮助自动化办公的首次管理者，那就更好了。

 

接下来的两章详细讨论了可行性研究和文字信息处理。作者们介绍了大量实用信息，这些信息是有关如何分析一个办公室的文字信息处理要求以及如何把满足那些要求的最好技术手段和组织手段综合在一起。我尤其欢迎把重点放在商业问题上：文字信息处理要花多少钱，文字信息处理可以节省多少钱，文字信息处理应当如何组织起来，以使一个公司的投资可以获得最大收益。书中有对职务的详尽描述，并举了一些例子。对文字信息处理尚未实现真正自动化的公司来说，或者对小分支或小分部的办公室管理者来说，本材料是十分宝贵的。

 

下面的一章考察了办公室的书面交往。为什么交往这么多，花这么多钱。作者们主张用口述作为控制开支的一种轻而易举的办法。我完全同意，然而我发现许多管理者抵制这种做法，而且从未对这个进程感到舒服。本书提出了再试试口述的理由，并提出一些使口述对你起作用的暗示。其次，我们转到电子邮件，这是对所有办公室文件该怎么处理这样一个问题做出更完整和更彻底的回答。这种处理办法十分广泛，论及诸如用来交往的文字信息处理机、电传打字机、计算机信息系统和传真机等类的题目。另一方面，这种处理办法有点过于简单，不能真正有助于决定下一步该怎么办。

 

随后的两章有点不均匀。有关记录管理的章节写得非常好，非常透彻。除非这个职能属于你的责任范围之内，否则这一节在这个颇为专业化的题目上介绍了过多的信息。在这种入木三分的处理之后，又对计算机技术做了非常高水平的概述。这种概述粗略介绍了计算机技术，并对计算机名词做了有益的介绍。

 

最后一章涉及组织上的变化和发展。这个题目是无论怎样强调都不过分的。

 

请公平地评价这些作者。他们特别注意特殊的读者：办公室管理者。这些人需要透彻了解文字信息处理和记录管理，希望引进先进的办公室系统技术、组织上的发展和其他管理实践。令人羡慕的是，他们成功了，他们赢得了这批读者的喜爱。