Technology giveth, technology taketh away
by Joe McKendrick
Readers of this blog may be aware of my writings on the burst economy coming to fruition through the miracles of online technology. In a burst economy, bursts of productivity deliver far more value than merely showing your face 9 to 5 everyday.
In this context, I don’t know what to make of this report of a New York City School System carpenter who was caught ducking out early on many occasions, thanks to GPS tracking of an employer-issued cellphone.
Burst may be fine for some, but it looks like technology delivers a different impact for many average Working Joes (let’s include Knowledge Worker Joes in that mix). And let’s not forget that time-clock technology has also advanced well beyond punch clocks and cards as well. Technology can be a liberator and an instrument of control — it depends on how enlightened management can be.
