A Study Of The Feasibility Of Work Measurement On Mental Work

With the era of knowledge economy approaching, the number of knowledge workers is increasing, therefore, it is necessary to study the management of these employees. This paper, therefore, is to argue that the application of work measurement into mental work is feasible in theory and methods. The essence of mental work is innovation and human information processing is its primary mechanism. The fit of information processing requirement and capacity determines the performance of mental work. Based on the discussion of the fit mechanism, the paper found a framework of the measurement of mental work. The process of information processing supplies its capacity. Human information processing consists of three basic stages, namely, information input, information processing and information output. We assumed that the time ratio among the stages complies for the "Pareto Principle". We conducted a questionnaire to test the above assumption. The validation of the assumption supports the measurement of mental work theoretically. On the other hand, relevant literature also showed different work measurement methods were applied into the white collar's jobs. Guided by fit mechanism of information processing, this paper compared work measurement methods in different contexts. Different methods could measure work of variable types and ranges. In addition, questionnaire census was made to investigate employee's acceptable degree toward popular indirect work measurement methods and the results verified the assumptions.