Computerized performance monitors: factors affecting acceptance

The authors attempt to identify some of the reasons why certain applications or designs of electronic monitors are acceptable, while others are not. The authors focus on how monitor designs affect acceptance of monitoring and how employees distinguish among types of monitors, from two perspectives. First, how do service workers feel about the practice of monitoring (as opposed to using a specific type of monitor). Second, how do design factors affect the acceptance of monitors and how changing the system design changes its acceptability and effectiveness. Quantitative and qualitative data from a survey of 1500 service workers demonstrated that four factors (tasks measured, frequency of measurement, object of measurement, and recipient of data) can be altered to significantly affect the acceptability of a monitor design. A fifth significant factor was the perception that computers are appropriate evaluation devices a given job. >