Mutual control in the newly integrated work environments
Jonathan P. Allen · The Information Society · 1994
How does an increase in the availability of detailed electronic information about behavior change organizations, and what kinds of choices influence those changes? This paper presents a model of mutual control, derived from studies of detailed information sharing in manufacturing, that describes one set of likely changes. According to the mutual control model, increasing pressures for tighter monitoring and control come from a mutual access to, and dependence on, shared electronic information that can be linked to the behavior of identifiable individuals and groups. That the demands for greater monitoring and control come from all directions in organizations, not simply upper management, is a finding that contrasts sharply with the traditional view of electronic surveillance and its concern with regulating managerial excess. The mutual control model also highlights how current systems design ideals, uncritically followed, contribute to the widespread demand for monitoring and tighter control within organizations.