Technology and Productivity: A Contingency Analysis of Computers in Local Government

In the searchfor innovations which might generate productivity gains in local govern ment, substantial attention has focused on the utilization of computers and automated information systems. The evaluations of more than 2,600 local government personnel in 42 American cities reveal that local governments have enjoyed some productivity gain attributed to computer applications, particularly with respect to increased work volume. Employing contingency theory as a conceptual framework, this article then assesses whether between-government variations in these productivity gains can be accounted for by size contingencies, technological contingencies, political contin gencies, or the user-technician interface. It is established that intergovernmental variations in productivity gains from computers are most powerfully associated with the nature of the user-technician interface and are somewhat associated with political contingencies.