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RESEARCH CONTfW3UTlONS
Management of
Computing
Gordon B. Davis
Editor
Computerized Performance
Monitoring Systems:
Use and Abuse
R.H. IRVING, C.A. HIGGINS, and F.R. SAFAYENI
ABSTRACT: An exploratory study of computerized
performance monitoring and control systems reveals both
positive and negative effects. R.esponses of 50 clerical
workers from 2 organizations with computerized
monitoring were compared to 94 individuals from 3
organizations in similar jobs without computerized
monitoring. The results indicate that computerized
monitoring is associated with perceived increases in
office productivity, more accurate and complete
assessment of workers’ performance, and higher levels of
organizational control. Respondents indicate that
managers overemphasize the importance of quantity and
underemphasize the importance of quality in evaluating
employee performance. Workers perceive increased stress,
lower levels of satisfaction, and a decrease in the quality
of their relationships with peers and management as a
consequence of computerized monitoring. The relevance
of existing models of performance monitoring is examined
in light of these findings.
1. INTRODUCTION
The increasing computerization of office functions is
providing management with new opportunities to
monitor, assess, and control employee productivity.
By designing software packages that automatically
This research was supported by Contract No. ZER.36001-3.3362. Department
of Communications. Canada. and the Natural Sciences and Engineering
Research Council. Canada.
0 1986 ACM OOOl-0782/86/0800-0794
794
Communications of the ACM
75a
record counts of production, error rates, and time
taken to process items, organizations are now
obtaining accurate, quantitative data on worker
performance.
These computerized performance monitoring and
control systems (CPMCS) are the subject of controversy. Some authors [2, 201 see positive effects, such
as increased...