The rapid development of mobile technology has put the status of traditional technical
tools into question. Theoretically, the modern mobile technology can set the individual
workers free from limitations set by time and place, by helping them to benefit from
enhanced working methods and developed business processes. The changes in working
methods tend to expand from the individual work to co-operation of individuals and
services provided for customers. In this complex environment, the new, mobilized
individual has a crucial role. 

This study investigates the current state and the future of mobilization in Finnish
organizations from an individual's perspective. It is a part of the MobiWork research
project, ordered by Sonera Ltd., Nokia Ltd. and Sap Ltd. In the empirical part of the
study, thematic interviews were chosen as the most suitable tool in order to obtain
personal perspectives of workers from different jobs and backgrounds in five different
case organizations. The case organizations were the city of Länsi-Turunmaa,
Keskusautohalli Ltd., Kuljetusliike Mika Salonen Ltd., Satumaa Ltd. and Kuulalaakeri
Ltd. 

In addition to case affiliated findings, the goal of the study was to find universal means
to benefit from mobile technology. In the interviews workers' individual opinions about
the possibilities and challenges of mobile technology were examined in accordance with
the theoretical framework of the study. The framework consists of Technology
Acceptance, Digital Generations, Usability, User-Experience, Consumerization and the
Work Fragmentation. 

The findings indicate that in traditional organizations the weak technological knowledge
and suspicious attitudes towards mobilization passivated individual willingness to make
changes to the current working methods. On the other end, the original assumptions
turned out correct as the workers in technologically-centered organizations had
significantly wider knowledge of mobile technology and better motivation towards the
development of their working methods. Based on these findings, a need for personal
technological education arose. By offering the workers technological education and
concrete, identifiable examples of beneficially mobilized work processes, their attitudes
towards mobilization are likely to change in a better direction. The results of this study
emphasize the role of individual workers in mobilization process, as it turned out that
individual needs and limitations are some of the most essential factors in the
mobilization strategies.