NCJ Number
56134
Date Published
1978
Length
124 pages
Annotation
A STUDY OF PERSONNEL ADAPTATION TO COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IS DOCUMENTED.
Abstract
A MODEL OF THE ADAPTIVE PROCESS WAS DERIVED FROM THE CONCEPTS OF ROLE ACQUISITION THEORY AND FROM MODELS OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY GROWTH. THE MODEL ACCOUNTS FOR THE VARIABLE OF TIME IN FOUR STAGES (ANTICIPATORY SOCIALIZATION, EXPANSION, FORMALIZATION, AND MATURITY) AND FOR THE VARIABLE OF LOCATION IN FOUR PERSONNEL GROUPS (MANAGERS, DATA-PROCESSING PERSONNEL, CLERICAL PERSONNEL, AND POLICE OFFICERS). EACH OF THE PERSONNEL GROUPS INTERACTS DIFFERENTLY WITH COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. THE MODEL SUGGESTS TWO TYPES OF ADAPTATION: CHANGES IN THE WORK TASKS OF GIVEN POSITIONS AND CHANGES IN ROLE RELATIONSHIPS. THE MODEL WAS EVALUATED AGAINST FINDINGS FROM 38 INTERVIEWS WITH PERSONNEL IN 11 CITY, COUNTY, AND REGIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES USING COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION SYSTEMS. THE MODEL APPEARS TO BE A USEFUL REPRESENTATION OF THE ADAPTIVE PROCESS. A DEFINITE PHENOMENON OF ADAPTATION TO TECHNOLOGY EXISTS, AND THAT PHENOMENON IS INFLUENCED BY THE STAGE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS AND BY THE LOCATION OF PERSONNEL BOTH IN THE ORGANIZATION AND IN RELATION TO THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE INTERVIEWS REVEALED THREE FACTORS NOT ANTICIPATED BY THE MODEL: (1) IN THE EARLY STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION, AS THE NEW SYSTEM BECOMES A REALITY, THE DISCREPANCY BETWEEN REALITY AND EXPECTATIONS CREATES A SENSE OF DISAPPOINTMENT, WHICH IS 'ACTED OUT' THROUGH RESISTANCE TO THE NEW SYSTEM; (2) A LEARNING CURVE PHENOMENON IS FOUND IN AGENCIES THAT HAVE UNDERGONE MORE THAN ONE SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION; AND (3) SOCIOTECHNICAL SYSTEMS ARE DISTINCT AND SEPARATE WITHIN EACH PERSONNEL GROUP, INTERACTING ONLY WHEN PERSONNEL ROLES MEET IN THE COURSE OF TASK PERFORMANCE. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ARE OFFERED. A LITERATURE REVIEW AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)