Computerized work monitoring is an important and increasingly popular area of business research. It is also a difficult topic to study, as conflicting and inconsistent results demonstrate. This paper discusses issues facing researchers who study the impact of these systems. The issues discussed fall into four categories: accepting a paradigm; choosing theory; defining constructs; and measuring constructs. A field study of computerized work monitoring illustrates typical decisions required in each category. The study is based on a determinist, variance paradigm concentrating on the individual's reactions to monitoring and using a thermostat model as an explanatory framework. This is contrasted to studies based on other paradigms and theories. The study develops a taxonomy of monitoring positions systems designs along a continuum of pervasiveness, making it possible to compare systems in numerous studies. Perceptual, rather than objective, measures of constructs are used. The study is contrasted to research which used objective measures, and the implications of choosing each type discussed.
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