| Summary: | 碩士 === 實踐大學 === 貿易經營研究所 === 91 === Manual typewriters were the most important tools in trading companies before1960s in Taiwan. All documents and letters were made by typewriters. Mails played an important role in correspondences. Surface mails were used for regular communications, and airmail for urgent or important cases. The use of cable and international telephone calls was rare due to the coasts involved.
Since the Directorate General of Telecommunications (DGT) provided the service of telex in 1960, teletypewriters were rent out. Trading companies used the teletypewriters to exchange telex messages. However, telex cost much at the early stage. Trading companies preferred to use cable to deliver urgent messages.
The development of office technologies in Taiwan in early 1970s was quite slow. To issue a full cable L/C through DGT cost around NTD 5,000, which was equal to the monthly salary of an average new personnel graduated from the university. Using international call to get immediate response from a customer in case of urgency cost a lot of time and money before 1980s
The evolution of office technology improved the efficiency of trading operations. The manual typewriter, electric typewriter, electronic typewriter, computer, desktop were the main tools or equipment for business operations. The surface mail, airmail, cable, telex, fax, and email were the main media for delivering text and pictures. For voice messages, the international call and newly developed video conference played an important role.
The goals of this research are as follows: First, making a historical analysis of office technology evolution in export industry of Taiwan since 1960s. Second, analyzing and inducing the common influencing factors of office technology on business operations. Third, discussing the impacts caused by these factors. Fourth, analyzing the organizational and individual adjustments due to the evolution of office technology. Fifth, examining these adjustments and putting forward suggestions.
This research takes qualitative analyses primarily, and quantitative analyses as supplement. The office technology evolution of the past 40 years had profound influence on export industry in Taiwan. This research has found the impact of business technology on office operations as follows: First, the organization structure is increasingly flat, and work division is readjusted. Second, decision-making of business operations is decentralized. Third, some jobs vanish, but some others emerge. Fourth, the duties of the sales personnel are substantially adjusted. Fifth, the varieties of office equipment in use increase, and the growth of the staff size tends to slow down.
Key words: international trade, office technology, Internet, telex, trade history
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