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Information Technology and Organizational Change in the British Census, 1801--1911

Author

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  • Martin Campbell-Kelly

    (University of Warwick, Department of Computer Science, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom)

Abstract

The first British census was taken in 1801 and was processed by a handful of clerks in a tiny office. By the mid-1800s, the census had evolved into an elaborate Victorian data-processing operation involving over a hundred clerks, each of whom had a specialized information-processing role. In 1911 the census was mechanized and the routine data processing was taken over by punched-card machines.This paper explores the changes in information technology within the census over a period of more than a century, and the resulting organizational changes. A contrast is drawn with the U.S. census---which mechanized in 1890---on the adoption of new technology.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Campbell-Kelly, 1996. "Information Technology and Organizational Change in the British Census, 1801--1911," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 7(1), pages 22-36, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:7:y:1996:i:1:p:22-36
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.7.1.22
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