This
study investigates the effect a
telecommuting program would have on the creative process in the development of computer software, on the
productivity of software development teams and on the organizational commitment of software development employees. The
research shows that telecommuting had statistically
significant negative effects on two aspects of
creativity -
workgroup synergy and exchange of ideas, but has no significant effects on either individual creativity or workgroup creativity. With respect to productivity, the research shows that telecommuting has statistically significant negative effects on two aspects of the productivity dimension - keeping workgroup members aware of design changes and perceptions of workgroup productivity, but has no significant effects on either keeping workgroup members abreast of project status or an individual's perception of her or his personal productivity. The conclusion drawn in this paper is that software development firms should not implement telecommuting programs in the absence of intensive research to develop strategies to overcome the problems identified in this study. The study recommends the conduct of further research into the issue of the effects of telecommuting on employee commitment. The paper uses numerous tables.