Technology-enabled division of labour: the use of handhelds

Jos Benders, Roel Schouteten and Céline De Ruijsscher

International Journal of Electronic Finance, 2012, vol. 6, issue 2, 184-197

Abstract: Using the task pool model and data from 15 establishments in the Dutch hospitality industry, this study shows how and why applying handhelds affects the division of labour. These devices allow to split the waiters' jobs into separate tasks which tend to be combined into two separate "sub jobs": the "palmtopper" and the "runner". Whereas handhelds are not necessary for creating separate waiting jobs, the technology enables to create conditions under which it becomes attractive for management to opt for an increased division of labour. We show the contingent conditions and underlying mechanisms which explain why certain choices prevail.

Keywords: case study; division of labour; electronic ordering systems; e-finance; electronic finance; handhelds; handheld devices; hospitality industry; mobile payment systems; m-payments; The Netherlands; social voluntarism; technological determinism; volunteers; waiters; personal digital assistants; PDAs. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijelfi:v:6:y:2012:i:2:p:184-197

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