Book Reviews : People and Computers: The Impacts of Computing on End Users in Organizations Publisher: Columbia University Press Year of Publication: 1986 Price: $32.50,hardbound Intended Audience: Researchers and practitioners of MIS Usefulness: High Clarity: High

Abstract

Social scientists seeking empirical knowledge of the effects of computer use in organizations continue to rely on the findings of the University of California, Irvine's Urban Information Systems Project. Danziger and Kraemer's book is one result of that project and a recent addition to the CORPS (Computing, Organizations, Policy, and Society) monograph series, which promises to have a major impact on the sociology of computing literature. Their research includes a detailed 1975 survey of computer use in the governments of all large U.S. cities and counties, supplemented by systematic field studies of 42 municipal governments and 50 additional exploratory case studies chosen for their particular interest. Besides being a model of clearly designed and presented survey research, this book transcends many of survey research's limitations by incorporating direct observation, in-depth interview material, and the authors' considerable personal experience with computing in organizations. Despite its quantitative focus, this is a remarkably readable book of interest to readers concerned with the qualitative dimensions of computer use. It would also be suitable for students in a graduate or advanced undergraduate class.