An organizational study of adoption and implementation of electronic communication media

This study tests several assumptions about the adoption and implementation of electronic communication media (ECM) in organizations. The assumptions are based on earlier work in ECM and studies of organizational communication. The actual study involves the administration of a survey instrument (long and short versions) to a total of 600 ECM account holders at an urban mid-eastern university. The survey determined not only self-reported use of the system but also the managerial role held by each user and their feelings on organizational climate and other factors. Results show that ECM is used for disseminators in organizations, that formal pressure can be used in organizations to help coerce nonusers to adopt ECM, and that ECM is considered a good support tool for task-related behavior