Equity Perceptions as a Determinant of Computer User Satisfaction in Human Services

Abstract

This study employs Joshi's “equity implementation theory” to examine acceptance of computerization among 272 human service workers in three large, public social service agencies in Israel. This theory holds that worker acceptance of computer technology is contingent on both the perceived gains and losses the CT brings the worker and the comparative gains and losses to the workers' peers and managers. The findings showed that the more the perceived gains of the CT outweighed the losses to themselves and their peers, themore inclined theworkers were to accept it. Findings also showed that when workers did not perceive self-peer gains from the CT, their acceptance was unaffected by their perceptions of the management-organization's gains and losses, but that these management-organizational gains increased their acceptance when they perceived that they and their peers had gained.

Key Words:

• Computer use
• computer acceptance
• equity theory
• human services
• social work