Case for critical thinking: Control and the mobile worker: rethinking IT devices in the workplace

1. The case outlines several ideas that organisations are using to capitalise on changes in technology and preferences of employees to work remotely. How does the concept of management control relate to this?

The concept of management control directly relates to the several ideas that organisations are using to capitalise changes in technology and preferences of employees working remotely. These ideas are through emphasis on using the people, resources and technology to the best advantage. An example of displaying a full advantage of technology advances would be videoconferencing over the internet as an alternative as face to face conferences.

Another concept of management control is quality control. Quality control checks all processes, materials, products and services to ensure that they are meeting the highest standards. This responsibility applies to all aspects of operations and can be backed up through statistical analysis. Continued technological advancements allow for this statistical data to be easily obtainable through sampling work, measuring quality and determining acceptable results. Unacceptable results are called to attention and need further investigation. This allows employers to confirm that all of their employees are working to a required and high standard.

2. Which of the control systems outlined in the chapter are most applicable to the current situation faced by organisations that allow or encourage employees to work from home? Why?

The most relevant control system that stands out in the chapter and allows or encourages employees to work from home is the ‘purchasing control’. The purchasing control directly relates rising costs of materials in the current economy and how these costs can be efficiently controlled through purchasing