engleski

Recent and actual computer era: is the Solow paradox restored?

Robert Solow made a comment in 1987: "You can see the computer age everywhere but in the productivity statistics."(Solow, 1987), (Brynjolfsson, 1993). His attitude was interpreted as a definition of a paradox by which he showed respect for the quality of technological change and its influence on general productivity. Referring to statistical indicators from that time (within the USA) is not disputable. What is disputable is approximate assessment of the absence of the influence of technology on productivity. The second fact that could be understood from Solow’s paradox is his attitude that computer age should be regarded as a technological revolution. In the literature that emerged more recently it is possible to trace the attitude that So low’s paradox is solved, that is, that there is no reversed ratio between computerization and productivity ( Acemoglu at al., 2014). The paper considers Solow’s paradox by examining the relationship between the individual and ICT in the work environment. If the application of ICT should affect the level of productivity, then it is not sufficient to observe just technology itself. It is necessary to observe the area in which the technology is applied, but also the way in which it is applied. At the time when Solow’s paradox was defined, the opinion that computers will to a great extent replace humans prevailed. Although the time has shown that a paradox was only temporary, tendencies could be noticed recently in the application of ICT, which can lead to some kind of a renewed Solow’s paradox. The paper deals with the analysis in the way Solow used to do. The aim of the paper is to detect circumstances and indicators, which can affect primarily the productivity of an individual and consequently the productivity of the company as a whole.

productivity, computer, paradox, ICT, echnological change

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