The influence of information and communication technology on the organisational commitment of mobile knowledge workers

Abstract

The corporate landscape induces numerous challenges regarding sustained productivity, creating a committed workforce, and addressing the increasing level of user dependence on technology. As employee dependence on technology increases, it becomes vital to not only understand the concept of employee commitment but also the impact and influence that technology has on such commitment. Mobile knowledge workers are highly dependent on technology to complete their tasks. The mobile landscape poses various challenges to a mobile knowledge worker; these are, amongst others, connectivity issues, alienation and isolation from their colleagues, reduced opportunities for relationship building, and a degraded corporate identity. Whilst implementing technology to address the various challenges brought about by the mobile work landscape is a noble goal, it is important that the technology earmarked for introduction to the workers is appropriate for the end-users of the technology and the tasks the workers need to complete. By exploring the research questions presented in this study, this study investigates the influence that technology has on the organisational commitment of mobile knowledge workers and how technology can be leveraged to influence their organisational commitment. This study found that research on the organisational commitment of specifically mobile knowledge workers is lacking in the current knowledge base. The study, therefore, contributes to the current knowledge base by starting to address the gap in the current knowledge base pertaining to the organisational commitment of mobile workers. The deliverable is a novel Mobile Worker Commitment framework that establishes which aspects of the organisational commitment of mobile knowledge workers are influenced by technology. Organisations can use the Mobile Worker Commitment framework when attempting to understand organisational commitment from mobile knowledge workers' viewpoint and as a guide when considering where to spend effort and/or resources, should they wish to influence the organisational commitment of mobile knowledge workers.

Die korporatiewe landskap bring verskeie uitdagings vir volgehoue produktiwiteit, 'n toegewyde arbeidsmag, en die toenemende afhanklikheid van tegnologie mee. Soos wat werknemers se afhanklikheid van tegnologie verhoog, word dit belangrik om nie net die konsep van werknemertoewyding te verstaan nie, maar ook die impak en invloed van tegnologie op werknemertoewyding. Mobiele kenniswerkers is hoogs afhanklik van tegnologie om hulle daaglikse take te voltooi. Die landskap het verskeie uitdagings vir mobiele kenniswerkers, onder andere, uitdagings met internetverbindings, isolasie van kollegas, kleiner kanse om verhoudings met kollegas te bou, en 'n laer korporatiewe identiteit. Terwyl die implementasie van tegnologie om die bogenoemde uitdagings te bekamp 'n edele doelwit is, is dit belangrik dat die tegnologie wat geoormerk word, gepas is vir die tegnologiegebruikers. Die navorsingsvrae in hierdie studie ondersoek die impak van tegnologie op die korporatiewe toewyding van mobiele kenniswerkers en hoe tegnologie deur 'n maatskappy gebruik kan word om korporatiewe toewyding te beïnvloed. Hierdie studie het bevind dat navorsing oor die toewyding van spesifiek mobiele kenniswerkers in die huidige kennisbasis ontbreek. Die studie dra dus tot die kennisbasis by deur die gaping in die toewyding van mobiele kenniswerkers te ondersoek. Die studie lê 'n nuwe raamwerk voor, naamlik die "Mobiele erkertoewydingsraamwerk", wat die aspekte van die toewyding van mobiele kennis werkers identifiseer wat tegnologie kan beïnvloed. Maatskappye kan die raamwerk gebruik om dieper kennis rakende korporatiewe toewyding vanuit mobiele kenniswerkers se oogpunt te bekom. Die raamwerk kan ook as 'n gids dien vir maatskappye om vas te stel hoe om hul tyd en hulpbronne te spandeer indien hulle die korporatiewe toewyding van mobiele kenniswerkers wil beïnvloed.

Boemo ba kgwebo bo baka diphephetso tse ngata mabapi le tlhahiso e tsitsitseng, ho bopa basebetsi ba ikemiseditseng, le ho sebetsana le boemo bo ntseng bo eketseha ba tshebediso ya mosebedisi theknolojing. Ha ho itshetleha ha mohiruwa theknolojing ho eketseha, ho ba bohlokwa ho se utlwisise mohopolo wa boitlamo ba mohiruwa feela empa le tshusumetso le eo mahlale a moraorao a nang le yona boitlamong bo jwalo. Basebetsi ba tsebo ya mehala ba itshetleha haholo hodima theknoloji ho phethela mesebetsi ya bona. Tikoloho ya mehala e hlahisa diphephetso tse fapaneng ho mosebeletsi wa tsebo ya mehala; Hara tse ding, tsena ka ditaba tsa kgokahano, karohano le ho itshehla thajana ho basebetsimmoho le bona, menyetla e fokotsehileng ya ho aha dikamano, le boitshwaro bo senyehileng ba dikgwebo. Le ha ho kenya tshebetsong ha mahlale a moraorao ho sebetsana le diqholotso tse fapaneng tse tlisitsweng ke sebaka sa mosebetsi wa mehala ke sepheo se setle, ho bohlokwa hore theknoloji e reretsweng ho tsebiswa basebetsi e loketse basebedisi ba qetello ya mahlale le mesebetsi eo basebetsi ba hlokang ho e phethela. Ka ho hlahloba dipotso tsa dipatlisiso tse hlahisitsweng phuputsong ena, phuputso ena e batlisisa tshusumetso eo mahlale a nang le yona boitlamong ba mokgatlo ya basebetsi ba tsebo ya mehala le hore na theknoloji e ka sebediswa jwang ho susumetsa boitlamo ba bona ba mokgatlo. Phuputso ena e fumane hore dipatlisiso mabapi le boitlamo ba mokgatlo ba basebetsi ba tsebo ya mehala ka kotloloho di a haella motheong wa hajwale wa tsebo. Phuputso, ka hona, e kenya letsoho motheong wa tsebo ya hajwale ka ho qala ho sebetsana le lekgalo le teng setsing sa tsebo sa hajwale se mabapi le boitlamo ba mokgatlo ba basebetsi ba mehala. Seo se ka tsamiswang ke moralo wa boitlamo wa Mobile Worker Commitment o netefatsang hore na ke dikarolo dife tsa mokgatlo wa basebetsi ba tsebo ya mehala di ka susumetswang ke tekhnoloji. Mekgatlo e ka sebedisa moralo wa Boitlamo ba Basebetsi ba Mobile ha e leka ho utlwisisa boitlamo ba mokgatlo ho tswa ntlheng ya tjhebo ya basebetsi ba tsebo ya mehala hape e le tataiso ha e nahanisisa ka moo e ka sebedisang boiteko le / kapa disebediswa, haeba e lakatsa ho susumetsa boitlamo ba mokgatlo ba basebetsi ba tsebo ya mehala.