Information Technology in European Services

This book presents a comparative international analysis of the impact new technology and, more specifically, information technology is having on the most rapidly growing area of economic activity, the service sector. Based on a five year research programme of 39 organizations in Europe, USA and Japan, the book tackles the following key questions - why and how was the new technology introduced?, what impact has it had in terms of employment levels, working practices, economic returns and improvement in service quality? and what new skill requirements have been generated? The book includes case studies from a wide variety of areas such as banking, retailing and healthcare and presents comparative reseach data that allows the reader to draw conclusions on how a significant technological development is being handled in different countries. The book also identifies those political factors which can influence the choice of new technology and which can obstruct the most constructive use of IT.