Document Type

Thesis

Date of Award

5-31-1984

Degree Name

Master of Science in Management Engineering - (M.S.)

Department

Industrial and Management Engineering

First Advisor

Kevin J. McDermott

Abstract

As investors survey the industrial growth of technology for the late 1980's one area leading the range for large potential growth is the area of office automation. Though this area has been under heavy speculation by many large firms (such as IBM, AT&T and EXXON) for the pass ten years it still remains an unexplored market for many investors. The objective of this research paper is to study the risks companies. will face developing products for this horizon.

Investors believe that success in this area, as well as, many other areas of engineering rely in large measure on the willingness of managers to take risks. Risk-taking, though in the area of office automation, must be a carefully calculated approach rather than a mindless maneuver to stimulate a waking industry. New engineering discoveries along with continual high paced technological changes will cause many investors to re-evaluate a product's feasibility for its industry. Carefree decision making will lead to cancellation of many proposed products, the penalty of paying heavy investment cost and low standings in the competitive race to capture the market.

This research paper proposes to a) explore the area of risk for office automation products, b) site the basis for some technological success and failures and c) propose some of the methodology for risk assessment to be used within this field.

Though the industry of office automation is still at its initial stages of growth some specialized methods of approach can be instituted to reduce the amount of risks managers will face. Future managers will see that the answer to success in the field will lie not in the total aversion of risks, but the undertaking of carefully calculated decisions.

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