Examining the role of information systems in operational workforce control

Scholars predicted that information systems (IS) could influence the way employees' activities and outcomes are managed. Some forecasted an environment whereby knowledge workers are bifurcated into groups of 'routine technicians' and 'thinkers'. The latter would have more authority, but be fewer in number. These precepts ran counter to prevailing managerial orthodoxy – participative management – and have since been largely overlooked. Consequently, little is known about how IS influences managerial control of employee activities and outcomes. This study explores Ouchi's framework of control modes and game theory to build propositions which describe how IS can influence managerial approaches, given the increased visibility of employee activities and outcomes resulting from IS. Researchers studied a large manufacturing firm experiencing this phenomena before, during, and after the implementation of a new IS system intended to provide improved visibility. Results illuminate how managerial control can change with IS, providing important implications for scholars and practitioners.