Manufacturing in the 1980s is undergoing a seismic shift—and much of this momentum is thanks to the rise of Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines. These automated workhorses are more than a technological marvel; they're a catalyst for productivity, precision, and entirely new ways of doing business.
The 1980s are witnessing a technology-driven transformation in the way offices operate. As office automation (OA) technology gains momentum, businesses are increasingly adopting new tools—personal computers, electronic typewriters, copiers, and fax machines—to streamline workflows, reduce manual errors, and boost productivity. These innovations are not just changing daily operations but also redefining how organizations approach business process optimization.
In the past decade, the American office has undergone rapid and dramatic change. Traditional typewriters and piles of paperwork are being phased out—replaced by the hum and glow of electronic word processors. These innovations are more than just technological novelties: they are fundamentally changing how businesses create, store, and manage information.
By Richard Mills, Technology Correspondent, Technical Publishing Weekly, 1979
Last week, I attended the bustling halls of the National Computer Conference (NCC) 1979 in New York. As a journalist covering the world of technical publishing, I expected to see the usual array of minicomputers, storage tapes, and a few optimistic software vendors. Instead, I found myself witnessing what may well be the dawn of a new era: the corporate information system.
Business in the 1970s is riding a transformative wave: the rise of office automation. With technology like electronic calculators, typewriters, dictation machines, and early computer terminals entering the corporate landscape, organizations are rethinking how work gets done. This emerging trend is rapidly altering traditional business processes—and laying the groundwork for the information age.
The business world is abuzz with talk of automation. In the 1960s, forward-thinking companies are investing in new machines and computerized systems that promise to revolutionize office work. Powered by advances in mainframe computers, electronic data processing, and punch card technology, a new era of business process automation is underway.
The 1960s are witnessing a quiet revolution inside America’s most ambitious offices and enterprises. No longer the sole domain of file clerks or human calculators, business processes are turning over new duties to automated machines. With the dawn of electronic computers and automated office equipment, forward-thinking leaders are rapidly reimagining productivity.