The Effect of Social Control Models on Motivation and Use in Electronic Communication Infrastructures
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THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL CONTROL MODELS ON MOTIVATION 103 The Effect Of Social Control Models On Motivation and Use In Electronic Communication Infrastructures Dan Manson Computer Information Systems Electronic communication can restrict organizational communication, or open communication channels to all employees regardless of status and personality. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships between social control patterns and electronic communication infrastructure use. Political, administrative, and computing infrastructure examples are used to provide initial understanding of infrastructure use. Social control models are used to provide insight into employee use of an electronic communication infrastructure. Case data from electronic communication systems is mapped to social control models to illustrate the effect of social control types on electronic communication use. Introduction A communications infrastructure provides an enabling platform for employees to share information to be used for decision-making, problem-definition, and coordination of organiza- tional behaviors. A functioning infrastructure enables the delivery of products and services facilitating human and cognitive processes adding value through information and knowledge exchange. In discussing the role of computing infrastructures, it is important to define infrastructure characteristics being considered. Computing infrastructure refers to the set of human and organizational resources that help make it simpler and faster for skilled people to use computerized systems (Kling, 1993). A computing infrastructure can consist of physical, technological and social characteristics. Physical characteristics can affect the ability to access the system. Technological characteristics involve issues of quality and reliability. Social characteristics address issues of information access and accountability. Physical and technological issues are driven by economic and technical issues, while social issues involve organizational issues. Social issues involve social systems. Ottenberg (1994) defines social systems as collections of individuals who act together for collective and/or individual purposes. In a social system, physical and technical aspects are only important as they support the functions and interactions of the “peopleware” of the system. Social issues can have a greater effect on employee attitudes and motivation toward infrastructure use than economic or technical issues. According to Kiesler (1991), we tend to exaggerate technical changes and underes- timate social effects of new technologies. Infrastructure control is a critical issue in organizations today. In addition to the need to conserve limited resources, control requires choices in patterns of organizational communi- cation and information sharing, and types of information content and access. Although the need for an information infrastructure is found in many current publications, there has not been specific research into the type of social controls that should apply to an information infrastructure. This research is especially relevant to the current drive toward building “information superhighways”. Even the most enthusiastic supporters of high-speed communication networks see difficulty in developing and implementing social control. “There are valid concerns that computer networks threaten the privacy and personal freedom of individuals. 104 DAN MANSON Fall 1996 There are equally valid worries that existing laws do not adequately protect the rights and liberties of computer users to express themselves in the new medium” (Gore, 1991). The issue of social control is especially important in network communication systems where messages and documents receive wide distribution. This paper will focus on social control in electronic mail and groupware systems where interpersonal information transfer is widespread. It will address whether the type of social control used in electronic communication can affect employee use and motivation. Background If one accepts electronic communication as a social activity, it is possible to derive from social control theories predictions about level of use of and attitudes toward electronic communication systems. Tannenbaum (1968) describes control as a general measure of the various types of influence exercised in an organization. Sproull and Kiesler (1991) describe social control as imbuing workers with a sense of “the way we do things around here”. This definition of social control closely relates to Tannenbaum’s (1974) “law of the situation” as a key basis of power within organizations. Sproull and Kielser’s research found a link between the level of participation in organiza- tional affairs and employee satisfaction. Also, the degree of management control of electronic communication influences communication between workers and management. This sug- gests that the type of social control exercised over electronic communication can increase or decrease employee motivation and use of electronic communication. Tannenbaum’s research focuses on the role of hierarchy in organizations. Tannenbaum found that members are influenced by supervisors largely because of a sense of commitment to the “law of the situation” within the organization. But what if the “law of the situation” is changed through widespread use of electronic communication? Electronic communication can reduce the amount of management influence in a hierarchically structured organization. At the same time, a hierarchical organization may resist employee control over the use of electronic communication. In a hierarchical organization, use of electronic communication is likely to reflect formal reporting relationships. On the other hand, organizational structures that do not involve a formal hierarchy are likely to support employee control over electronic communication. Use is likely to be more dynamic and not limited to formal relationships. The inherent desire of management to control information flows has been documented by several researchers. Pettigrew (1972) considered information access and control as a power resource. According to Mechanic (1962), within organizations dependency can be generated with others by controlling access to the resources of information, persons and instrumentalities. This suggests that managers have a vested interest in controlling the use of electronic communication. An organization with high levels of managerial control is likely to place restrictions on the use of electronic communication. Kling and Iacono (1984) developed models of social control in computerized work settings. Social control models illustrate how organizational participants control certain behaviors in computerized work settings. As Table 1 illustrates, three social control models are 1) management control, 2) professional negotiations, and 3) institutional control. THE EFFECT OF SOCIAL CONTROL MODELS ON MOTIVATION 105 Table 1 Three Models of Social Control in Computerized Work Settings Management Professional Institutional control negotiations control Actors Managers/workers White-collar workers All users Pattern of Up Up and sideways Any direction information flows Pattern of Down Down and sideways Any direction control flows Nature For every rule, Practices can be No single agent is of rule there is a single subject to exception effectively in system controlling agent control of the set of rules Each model involves a “social order” that informs and describes the control processes. The management control model assumes that information flows up and control flows down between managers and workers. It is usually assumed that computerization is good for managers and bad for workers. Under the professional negotiations model white-collar workers send information flows up and sideways while control flows down and sideways. Social control models suggest that employee motivation to use electronic communication can be determined through the type of social control in use. An “empowering” institutional control model should facilitate employee motivation to use electronic communication and provide greater employee control over electronic communication than more traditional professional and managerial control models. Employee and management motivation to use of an electronic communication infrastructure may be related to the type of social control exercised over the infrastructure. The above analysis raises two important questions regarding social control over electronic communications. Should companies have one method of social control instead of another in electronic communication systems? Is institutional control the best social control model for employee use of electronic communications? We conclude from our discussion of social control models the following hypothesis related to electronic communication systems: Hypothesis 1: Electronic communication involving groupware and electronic mail will reduce the level of managerial control and professional negotiation and increase institutional control in an organization Hypothesis 2: Continued motivation to use electronic communication involving elec- tronic mail and groupware will be related to the type of social control used in the electronic communication infrastructure 106 DAN MANSON Fall 1996 Methods Data was collected from four case studies of electronic mail, one case study of groupware, and a review of the Internet and other global electronic communication networks. Organizations include two professional services firms, one book publisher,