Chapter 15: Mastering Computer Technologies: Contributing to Research-Experimentation With Users and Computer Specialists

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, information and communication computer networks are omnipresent in professional life, playing an ever increasing role in our personal and extraprofessional life as well. Computer technologies have contributed to significantly increasing the global economic productivity of enterprises, especially in comparison to noncomputerized work. Nonetheless, close observation of businesses and organizations reveals major, frequent and costly dysfunctions in the operation of such computerized activity, specialized service, information and communications technology (ICT) support and computer service companies. These dysfunctions considerably reduce the contribution of computer networks to the actual economic productivity of businesses and organizations.

Based on numerous socio-economic diagnostics (Savall & Zardet, 2004), carried out both with ICT users and ICT service departments (e.g., Boulanger, 1997; Datry & Payre, 2004; Delattre, 2002; Demissy, 2002; ISEOR, 1998; Plane, 1991; Saint-Leger, 2005; Savall & Zardet, 1985; Zardet & Harbi, 2002; Zardet & Srajek, 2000), we have established a typology of dysfunctions related to computer network development, maintenance and use. The chapter examines the costly economic stakes these dysfunctions represent, owing to the hidden costs they generate. The discussion then turns to how a socio-economic perspective can increase the value-added of specialized computing, while improving ICT operations.