: Zuboff warns of a monitored office environment similar to Jeremy Bentham's "Panopticon" prison. In this scenario, technology is used for permanent visibility, ensuring the automatic functioning of power through constant electronic monitoring.
: Zuboff suggests the traditional "division of labor" is being superseded by a "division of learning". In this model, "being productive" becomes synonymous with learning, and authority shifts toward those who can synthesize and act on complex information. Where to Find the Book
: While "automating" replaces human labor with technology for continuity and control, "informating" simultaneously generates information about the work process itself. This creates a deeper level of transparency, making operations visible and knowable in new ways. In the age of the smart machine : the future of...
: Carries the Hardcover/Paperback for roughly $31.99 . Page-a-Day : Lists the Hardcover at $31.99 . DiscountMags.com : Offers the Book for $35.54 . In the Age of the Smart Machine - SHOSHANA ZUBOFF
: Offers the Paperback edition for approximately $31.99 . : Zuboff warns of a monitored office environment
: Computer-mediated work results in a comprehensive "textualization" of the work environment. This "electronic text" becomes a symbolic surrogate for an organization's daily life, which can either be used for radical creativity or intense managerial scrutiny.
The text argues that the "computer revolution" presents us with a critical choice: we can either , which risks dehumanizing work and alienating employees, or informate , which empowers workers with the knowledge to make critical, collaborative judgments. Core Concepts of the "Smart Machine" In this model, "being productive" becomes synonymous with
In her seminal book, In the Age of the Smart Machine: The Future of Work and Power , Harvard social scientist explores how computerized technology fundamentally alters the landscape of business and labor.