Doing experimental research on performance measurement (with a little help from technology)

In experiments researchers can create a research setting that is uniquely suitable to examining the phenomena of interest, thus enabling them to draw strong causal inferences. Experiments are also helpful to those of us interested in studying performance measurement systems because it is often difficult to locate suitable research data from practice. Technology advances, such as more accessible programming software, improved research facilities, and new participant recruitment avenues, have further upgraded experimental researchers’ toolkits. At the same time, technology advancements have led to exciting new research avenues regarding performance measurement. In this chapter, I will discuss “artificiality” as a source of power in experiments and reflect on how technology advances have lent a helping hand to researchers by further amplifying experiments’ power to study issues relating to performance measurement systems. I will also suggest some future research possibilities that are particularly suitable to experimental research.