Discussion Section Leader: Najmedin Meshkati
"The Effect of Information Technologies on the Structure of Organizations and Bureaucratic Institutions in Developing Countries"The workshop led by Najmedin Meshkati, Associate Professor of the Institute of Safety and Systems Management, discussed how the advancement of information technology can effect changes on the structure of organizations. In developing countries, there is a greater power differential between lower- and upper-level management, but the use of e-mail can possibly bridge this gap by allowing open access to top management without going through the many layers of middle management. The group discussed whether this shift in the structure of middle layer management actually empowered the people.