A qualitative case study of employee effectiveness using information technology in federal law enforcement agencies

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore leaders' perceptions of the effectiveness of employees who employ information technology (IT) to complete tasks by conducting in-depth interviews of 20 upper-level leaders in federal law enforcement agencies. The chosen leaders were personnel from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Division, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Findings of the study reflect ways that upper-level leaders can employ IT more effectively to empower personnel in federal law enforcement agencies. The results could reduce wasted taxpayer monies that purchase and support federal law enforcement IT and increase employee empowerment using IT to protect the United States. Twenty-three themes emerged in the qualitative analyses of the study. Leaders felt that, if properly used, IT could add to employee effectiveness to catch the highest-level criminal. Leaders in federal law enforcement agencies perceived employees' failure to use IT effectively as the employees' fault, a result of inadequate employee training, and a result of system technical problems. Results found that some leaders perceived that any IT failure is not an employee's problem but a problem with leadership. Leaders reported e-mail is the most effective form of IT when dealing with employees, the computer is not the most effective form of IT when dealing with employees, computer products are most effective when dealing with employees, and systems used to share information with other federal law enforcement agencies. Leaders reported having a positive perception of IT and employee effectiveness, computers are the most effective form of IT, and e-mail is used to share information with other federal agencies.