In an era of dynamic environmental pressures challenging traditional norms, informal control systems are gaining importance alongside formal ones to achieve corporate goals. This study on SMEs had two objectives: assess the use of informal controls, and compare social controls vs. self-monitoring systems to identify which better suits SMEs. The research methodology consists of a sound literature review (drawing on Chiapello, Ouchi, Merchant, Mintzberg, etc.) and four theories (governance, conventions, Theory Z, economics of trust). A quantitative survey of 91 SMEs via questionnaire was conducted. The data collected were analyzed with SPSS and SmartPLS through Excel, and the data analysis techniques were descriptive stats, and multidimensional analysis. The key findings make it clear that both social controls and self-monitoring are used in SMEs. More so, self-monitoring systems are more prevalent and better suited than social controls. At last, effectiveness of self-monitoring in SMEs driven by four factors: organizational, human, technical, and contextual. Therefore, SMEs favor self-monitoring as the core of informal control due to its alignment with autonomy and flexibility.