Title :
Compensatory adaptation to a lean medium: an action research investigation of electronic communication in process improvement groups
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Manage. Inf. Syst., Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA, USA
fDate :
12/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Previous empirical findings from the computer-mediated communication research literature are consistent with media richness theory because they suggest that the use of electronic communication media is likely to have a negative impact on the success and outcome quality of process improvement groups. These findings lead to the expectation that electronic communication media will not be as appropriate as the face-to face medium to support the type of complex and knowledge-rich communication that takes place in process improvement groups. The paper analyzes 12 process improvement groups interacting through an electronic communication medium and finds this expectation unfounded. In fact, the use of an electronic communication medium can actually have the opposite effect, that is, a "positive" effect, on process improvement group success and outcome quality. Two other theoretical models, namely the compensatory adaptation and social influence models, are used to explain these counter intuitive findings
Keywords :
bibliographies; groupware; professional communication; social aspects of automation; New Zealand; action research investigation; collaborative technologies; compensatory adaptation; computer-mediated communication research literature; electronic communication; electronic communication media; electronic communication medium; face-to face medium; knowledge sharing; knowledge-rich communication; lean medium; media richness theory; outcome quality; process improvement groups; social influence model; social influence models; Adaptation model; Business process re-engineering; Collaboration; Computer mediated communication; Costs; Internet; Management information systems; Productivity; Proposals; Total quality management;
Journal_Title :
Professional Communication, IEEE Transactions on