A review and reappraisal of electronic performance monitoring, performance standards and stress allowances

There is a growing trend toward electronic performance monitoring (EPM) to track the performance of workers engaged in computer-based tasks. Despite the possible productivity advantages of this approach to work management, the use of EPM may produce stress through work overload, negative computer feedback, loss of incentive pay and threat of job loss. These stress effects are most likely to occur among workers who have difficulty meeting work standards (eg, forms processed per hour) enforced through EPM. A stress allowance is proposed as a new category of work allowance for adjusting EPM work standards so as to minimize imbalances between task demands and the worker's resources to adapt.     

Effect of job demands and social support on worker stress: a study of VDT users

This study examined the effect of job demands (quantitative workload and computer-related problems) and social support (supervisor and co-worker support) on stress of VDT users. A survey questionnaire was administered to employees of three public service organizations. Two-hundred and sixty-two office workers participated in this study. Results showed that job demands (quantitative workload and computer-related problems) had a direct effect on psychological complaints of VDT users. On the other hand, co-worker support did not affect worker stress. Supervisor support was a buffer against worker stress both in the low and high job demands conditions. However, supervisor support did not have any interactive buffering effect on the relationship between job demands and worker stress.     

The effects of electronic performance monitoring on stress: Locus of control as a moderator variable

In recent years, there has been a substantial increase in the number of companies using electronic performance monitoring (EPM) systems to evaluate their employees. Data from several case studies suggest that employees who are monitored using EPM experience more stress than employees who are monitored by other means. However, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions from this research, because organizations tend to introduce other programs at the same time as EPM systems are installed. Additionally, little existing research examines the role that employee characteristics play in determinigg EPM's impact. The current study represents an attempt to address these issues. Laboratory subjects worked on two relatively simple computerized tasks and were told either that their work would be monitored via a supervisory computer networked to their terminal, or that their work would not be observed. All other work climate variables were held constant. After completing the tasks, subjects' locus of control and perceived stress were measured. Locus of control was found to moderate the relationship between EPM and stress. Internals felt more stress when their work was electronically monitored. In contrast, externals felt more stress when their work was not monitored. These findings are interpreted using a person-environment fit framework.     

Employee stress and health complaints in jobs with and without electronic performance monitoring

Current applications of electronic performance monitoring based on job design theories that consider worker performance rather than stress issues are likely to generate unsatisfying and stressful jobs (Smith et al, 1986). This study examines critical job design elements that could influence worker stress responses in an electronic monitoring context. A questionnaire survey of employees in telecommunications companies representative of each region in the United States examined job stress in directory assistance, service representative and clerical jobs with specific emphasis on the influence of electronic monitoring of job performance, satisfaction and employee health. Useable surveys were received from 745 employees representing seven operating companies and AT & T; a response rate of about 25%. The results of this survey indicated that employees who had their performance electronically monitored perceived their working conditions as more stressful, and reported higher levels of job boredom, psychological tension, anxiety, depression, anger, health complaints and fatigue. It is postulated that these effects may be related to changes in job design due to electronic performance monitoring.     

Lean job design and musculoskeletal disorder risk: A two plant comparison

This study examined the relationship between lean job design and work‐related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) risk factors. Repetition, force, and posture were assessed for a sample of 56 production jobs across departments at a lean automobile‐manufacturing plant and compared to 56 similar jobs at a traditional automobile‐manufacturing plant. The results showed greater productivity in the lean plant: less waiting (p = .006) and walking (p < .001); and greater repetition exposure (p = .001). The mean rating for repetition was 5.5 in the lean plant, compared to 5.0 in the traditional plant based on the Latko (1997) hand activity level scale. However, the lean plant had significantly lower peak hand force ratings (p = .01). When examining force and repetition combined, the lean plant had a lower percentage of jobs above the American Conference for Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH)‐recommended Threshold Limit Value (TLV^®). The findings suggest that lean manufacturing does not necessarily increase workers' risk for WMSD injuries. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Gamification's impact on manufacturing: Enhancing job motivation,satisfaction and operational performance with smartphone‐based gamified job design

Gamification is defined as applying game design elements to non‐game contexts. The integration of gamification into the workplace adds a stimulating and captivating game‐like layer to the working experience of employees. This is predicted to improve their positive affect at work and operational performance to a certain extent. With the ubiquity of smartphones and Internet technology, smartphone‐based interactive operations can better facilitate the implementation of gamification in work processes. Against a backdrop of a drastic transformation facing the Chinese equipment manufacturing industry, we gamified a number of  computer numerical control machine operational jobs. A gamified job design framework was proposed, based on the job characteristics model and the game elements hierarchy. To achieve gamification in this context, a smartphone application was designed. We then hypothesized that smartphone‐based gamified job design (SGJD) would enhance participants’ three key indicators, namely, (i) job motivation, (ii) job satisfaction, and (iii) operational performance. We also analyzed how participants’ willingness to embrace gamified job design, known as “consent,” affected the improvement in the three key indicators. The results illustrated that SGJD significantly increased participants’ job motivation, job satisfaction, and operational performance. Furthermore, our experiment showed that consent to SGJD was positively correlated to the improvement in job motivation. However, no significant correlation was observed between consent to SGJD and an improvement in job satisfaction or operational performance.     

Examining the relationship between job design and worker strain over time in a sample of office workers

This study examines relationships between job design variables and worker strain. Office workers from a public service organization participated in a three-year study. Once during each of the three years, the same questionnaire was handed out to the subjects to examine job design and worker strain. The results indicate that the bivariate relationships between job design and worker strain change over time. At round 1, quantitative workload, work pressure and supervisor social support were the most important predictors of the worker strain variables. At round 2, task clarity, supervisor social support, and job future ambiguity were the most important predictors of worker strain. At round 3, task clarity, attention, and job future ambiguity were the most consistent predictors of worker strain. The results of the canonical correlation analysis were relatively similar for rounds 1 and 3, but not for round 2. There appears to be some consistency in the overall underlying structure of the relationships between job design and worker strain, but there is also some inconsistency in terms of which specific job design factors are related to specific measures of worker strain.     

Effects of electronic outlining on students' argumentative writing performance

This study examined the effect of electronic outlining on the quality of students' writing products and how outlining affects perceived mental effort during the writing task. Additionally, it was studied how students appropriate and appreciate an outline tool and whether they need explicit instruction in order to engage in planning. To answer these questions, the writing products and self‐report data from 34 tenth‐grade students of a Dutch pre‐university school were analysed. Students wrote two similar argumentative texts with or without an outline tool. Results show that electronic outlining improves the quality of students' argumentative texts and decreases mental effort. Answers to a retrospective questionnaire showed that a short instruction on the outline tool was sufficient for students to understand its working and that most students experienced the tool as beneficial. Finally, results indicate that without specific instruction on text planning, students hardly devote any time to this important aspect of writing.     

A strategy for improving worker satisfaction and job attitudes in a repetitive industrial task: application of production standards and performance feedback

Worker satisfaction improved significantly as a consequence of the provision of the assigned and participative standards with performance feedback in a repetitive industrial production task. The maximum improvement in worker satisfaction was found for the participative standard and feedback condition. Only this condition had a significant positive effect on worker job attitudes. Monetary incentive, when provided with an assigned or participative standard with feedback, added no incremental worker satisfaction or job attitudes gain. The participative standard with feedback condition emerges as the optimum strategy for improving worker satisfaction and job attitudes in a repetitive industrial production task.     

A strategy for improving worker satisfaction and job attitudes in a repetitive industrial task: application of production standards and performance feedback

Worker satisfaction improved significantly as a consequence of the provision of the assigned and participative standards with performance feedback in a repetitive industrial production task. The maximum improvement in worker satisfaction was found for the participative standard and feedback condition. Only this condition had a significant positive effect on worker job attitudes. Monetary incentive, when provided with an assigned or participative standard with feedback, added no incremental worker satisfaction or job attitudes gain. The participative standard with feedback condition emerges as the optimum strategy for improving worker satisfaction and job attitudes in a repetitive industrial production task.     

Effects of pen design on drawing and writing performance

Two experiments are reported with the aim of determining the effect of pen shape and size on two different types of task: drawing and writing. Experiment 1 attempted to determine the optimum shape and size of shank for ball-point pens used to perform an accurate drawing task. Twenty-seven participants used a total of nine different pens. Drawing performance was measured by having the subjects follow mazes of different size. The dependent variables were drawing movement time and drawing accuracy. The results indicate that the pen with an equivalent diameter of 8 mm had the best accuracy during drawing, even though it had the lowest speed. The results confirm the applicability and validity of the Drury tracking model for such a task. Even though users tended to prefer larger pens, their accuracy with such pens tended to be low.In a second experiment, subjects performed a writing task (with no accuracy constraints) and rated their preference for types of pen. An attempt was made to determine the preferred dimensions of ball-point pens for writing in Chinese and English. A total of 36 ‘bare-bodied’ pens and 20 Chinese subjects were used to evaluate the effects of shape, size and weight on time to write a sentence. The Writing Ability, Comfort and an Overall Rating were given by the subjects. The results indicate that the Chinese subjects preferred a circular shaped pen for writing in both languages. A factor analysis showed that speed, comfort and writing ability are independent parameters in pen evaluations.     

Seven case studies on computerization: Effects on work organization,job content,and qualification structure

This paper deals with empirical findings in different types of computerized systems. The purpose of the studies is to find out what is specific to the process of computerization compared to other examples of automation and other aspects of social development. The qualification problem is treated from three different approaches and analyzed in the seven case studies.The author's main argument is, that in many cases different aspects of the process of social change which often are related solely or primarily to the process of computerization should rather be related to other facets of technological and social development. Automation is not an abstract matter of “Man Mastering Nature”, but an economical oriented trial of managers to master the variations of the working system including the human variabilities.The point is, that work organization is an independent variable and not just a consequence of computerization. To change work organization should not be regarded only as a problem of designing the man-machine system in an appropriate way, but a problem of changing the whole social system, for instance under the influence of the unions.     

An electronic interface for microcomputer-based flow cytometry: design,operation and performance characteristics

An inexpensive electronic interface for the acquisition of asynchronous flow cytometry data using a commercially available microcomputer and A/D converter is described. In the design of this interface, the major objectives were to minimize the amount of custom hardware necessary between the computer and flow cytometer and to maximize usable sensitivity and resolution by implementing a gated integrator and trigger hold-off approach to acquire the asynchronous data pulses from the cytometer. The major error sources which can occur during data acquisition are identified and their effects on system performance are shown. A simple protocol is described to minimize the effects of these errors on the acquired data. The influence of computer-processor clock speed on data acquisition rates is also documented.     

Theoretical examination of the effects of anxiety and electronic performance monitoring on behavioural biometric security systems

Computerised biometric systems are automated methods of verifying or recognising the identity of a user on the basis of some physiological characteristic, like a fingerprint or some aspects of behaviour such as keystroke patterns. Behaviourally based biometric systems include signature, speaker and keystroke verification. The investigation of psychological factors which might impact on the efficiency of a behavioural biometric computer security monitoring system has to our knowledge not been conducted. Of particular concern in the present paper are the potential effects of state anxiety on individual's physiological and performance responses. It is suggested that in a behaviourally based biometric computer security monitoring system, state anxiety may have sufficient effects to alter typical physiological and performance responses, resulting in an increased risk of security challenges, interruption of work-flow and resultant poor performance. It is also proposed that behaviourally based biometric systems may have the potential to be used as electronic performance monitoring systems, and typical responses to such systems need to be examined when developing and implementing any behaviourally based biometric security system.     

Rates of back pain incidence associated with job attitudes and worker characteristics

By examining back pain risk, both its incidence and distribution, it becomes possible to focus on contributory factors bringing on its onset. Analyzing risks of back pain in a study of 250 employees from 9 organizations in Israel's labor force, demonstrated the link between attitudes, worker characteristics, job and back pain. Distinguishing between reported chronic and sporadic episodes demonstrates that rates of back pain incidence differ by the type of worker, arrangements of the workplace, and task requirements. Tracing the impact of physical factors on back pain risk led to negative results, as explained in this study. From the analysis of severity ratio, it may be concluded that work environments generally associated with less physically strenous work tasks, have less risk of severe back pain cases. The findings also lead to the conclusion that occupational status, in and of itself, does not appear to be linked to risk of back pain—even though lower status occupations do have a tendency toward greater risk of severe chronic back pain.     

Effects of ambient illuminance on users' visual performance using various electronic displays

Abstract— This study investigated the effect of ambient illuminance (50, 500, 1500, 3000, 6000, and 9000 lx) on participants' visual performance using four electronic displays (conventional LCD under transmissive mode, conventional LCD under reflective mode, Ch‐LC display, and E‐ink display). Analysis results indicate that participants' visual performance shows significant difference under various ambient illuminance and electronic displays. The interaction between ambient illuminance and electronic display also has significant effect on participants' visual performance. When participants use the conventional LCD under transmissive mode, ambient luminance has no significant effect on participants' visual performance. However, participants' visual performance is significantly different under various ambient illuminances using the conventional LCD under reflective mode, Ch‐LC display, and E‐ink display. The conventional LCD under transmissive mode is the only choice at a lower illuminance of 50 lx. Higher illuminance (500 lx) for E‐ink displays may result in as good a performance as the conventional LCD under transmissive mode; nevertheless, much higher illuminance (1500 lx) for the conventional LCD under reflectance mode and Ch‐LC display may achieve better performance.     

MRx design and criticism: the confluence of media studies,performance and social interaction

Abstract

In this article, we bring together the lenses of media studies, performance studies and social interaction offered in the other essays in this special issue and discuss their collective contribution towards a more nuanced understanding of MR^x. We illustrate this capacity by a brief critical review of a recent MR^x environment: Mégaphone. We suggest how the lenses can also contribute to a design vocabulary for future MR^x experiences.     

基于Web的求职招聘系统分析与设计

基于Web的求职招聘系统为求职者和招聘者提供了一个虚拟化、智能化的人才市场,其主要目的是为了拉近求职者和应聘者之间的距离。根据不同的权限,用户可以进行相应的操作,完成各自的需求。文章借助UML统一建模语言对基于Web的求职招聘系统进行了面向对象的分析与设计,其主要内容包括需求分析、类设计、交互性设计等。在具体的分析设计过程中,给出了系统用例图、管理类图、求职类图、招聘类图、注册时序图和修改信息活动图等。