Having said all that, I must admit I've run into a few firms
-- mostly smaller, high tech ones -- that have realized the
potential of the paperless office. Using their Intranets and
a combination of software, these companies
have cut their paper usage dramatically. Part of this stems
from the technology. Part comes from the fact that management
instituted stiff penalties for unnecessary paper use. But, as
I mentioned, these are usually smaller companies. This
attitude, and the resolve backing it up, hasn't filtered into
many larger firms.
To make the paperless office a reality, firms of all sizes
have to stop paying lip service to "keeping up with the
latest technology" and actually do something about it. It
takes more than purchasing the fastest computers and latest
software. More even than investing the time and money to
train their employees.
While these are important components in the
equation, but another seemingly intangible investment must be
made. Electronic documents must be written and organized so
that it's readable and easy to navigate. Until this happens,
the paperless office will continue to be a myth.