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Title: Computerization and Controversy : Value Conflicts and Social Choices by Rob Kling ISBN: 0-12-415040-3 Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann Pub. Date: 22 February, 1996 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $59.95

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Average Customer Rating: 3.4 (5 reviews)

Rating: 2
Summary: Rob Kling's Computerization and Controversy
Comment: Rob Kling has created a seven-part book of issues that surround the integration of technology into businesses and education. He validates his beliefs with case studies and testimonials from experts in their respected areas. Kling begins each chapter with a very thorough overview of the section.

Don't let the size of the book intimidate you; the material is well prepared and easy to read. My advice is to pick and choose chapters and sections within those topics that are of interest to you. Keep in mind that a lot of the material in the book is "out dated", which caused me some cognitive frustration. The book was written in 1996 and I surmise from the preface that it was conceived in the early '90's. Topic titles are revenant to Computerization and Controversy but the case studies are only useful as a historical prospective.

JCalhoun

Rating: 4
Summary: Computerization and Controversy
Comment: With the dawn of the Information Age waning and social, economic and political changes underway, Robert Kling's anthology adds form and character to the futurist, anthropological debate of what will happen to us now.

In an impressive and hefty volume, Kling et.al. questions the ramifications of eight areas of human interaction; areas as varied as privacy, social control, human relationships, work, and human interaction. In this examination, Kling provides a depth of discussion that will overwhelm the technology neophyte. For those in the industry or for the more advanced casual user, this volume will fill in holes of knowledge that guarantee to stimulate deeper appreciation for the changes underway in our society.

Rating: 4
Summary: Enduring Issues about the Past and Future of Technology in S
Comment: Rob Kling's Computerization and Controversy offers a vast and diverse range of perspectives about the social effects of computerization in the future. This compilation of 78 essays was published in 1996, making the material somewhat dated. Nevertheless, the authors showcased in this anthology are insightful and visionary and much of their commentary is still relevant today, despite the fact that everything is not exactly as they had projected. The burning issue endures: What is the social cost of computerization? The book does not answer this question, but equips the reader with lots to consider. The readings in this anthology address not only the way that computerization affects society, but also how society shapes computerization.

This collection is divided into 8 sections. The first section is authored entirely by Kling and sets the stage for the other sections that follow. In it, he poses questions about the ability of computerization to make life easier. His essay entitled "The Seductive Equation of Technological Progress with Social Progress" speaks to the theme of the entire book. Technology can both help and hinder social interactions. By juxtaposing contrary opinions on the effects of computerization on education, work, business, government, privacy, economics, and science, he provides a text that is comprehensive in scope and perspective.

Computerization and Controversy is less of a "futures" book, and more of a "history" book - evidence of where we have been in our thinking about the effects computerization on society. It is poignant evidence of how quickly society is changing as a result of technology and computerization. One essay, by Anne Okerson, outlines the future of the Electronic Journal. She describes how quickly information "expires" and how technology can meet the need for up to date knowledge and facts. Were Computerization and Controversy published as an ever-changing e-text, we might be better off (or would we?).