Shadow IT Use, Outcome Effects, and Subjective Performance Evaluation

26 Pages Posted: 29 Jun 2017

See all articles by Drew Allen

Drew Allen

Brigham Young University

F. Greg Burton

Brigham Young University - School of Accountancy

Steven D. Smith

Brigham Young University

David A. Wood

Brigham Young University - School of Accountancy

Date Written: June 27, 2017

Abstract

The use of shadow IT (information technology systems not sanctioned or monitored by a company’s IT department) may be seen as either a form of organizational misbehavior or proactive and creative problem-solving. We examine whether these differing possible perceptions have implications for the subjective evaluation of subordinate performance. In our experiment, participants choose whether to award a bonus to an employee when different IT systems are used (normal vs. shadow IT) across different outcome levels (high vs. low outcomes). We find that employees using shadow IT are less likely to receive the bonus in both high and low outcome conditions relative to employees using the normal IT system. Our results suggest that shadow IT usage is more likely to be viewed as organizational misbehavior and to cast a negative light on employee performance.

Keywords: Performance Evaluation, Shadow IT, Subjective Performance Evaluation

JEL Classification: M4, M41, M49, C91, M1, O3, O33

Suggested Citation

Allen, Charles and Burton, Fielding Greg and Smith, Steven D. and Wood, David A., Shadow IT Use, Outcome Effects, and Subjective Performance Evaluation (June 27, 2017). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2993443 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2993443

Charles Allen

Brigham Young University ( email )

Provo, UT 84602
United States

Fielding Greg Burton

Brigham Young University - School of Accountancy ( email )

Provo, UT 84602
United States

Steven D. Smith

Brigham Young University ( email )

531 TNRB
Provo, UT 84602
United States
801-422-1969 (Phone)

David A. Wood (Contact Author)

Brigham Young University - School of Accountancy ( email )

518 TNRB
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
United States
801-422-8642 (Phone)
801-422-0621 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://marriottschool.byu.edu/employee/employee.cfm?emp=daw44

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