Virtual Collaboration with Mobile Social Media in Multiple-Organization Projects

This study investigates the use of mobile social media as emerging collaboration tools by virtual teams. Based on the construal level theory, it develops a research model hypothesizes that collaboration tool effectiveness influence contextual performance and task performance through the mediation of procedure agreeability. In addition, geographic dispersion, team size and project duration serve as moderators as they reflect virtual collaboration complexity. Empirical findings support most hypothesized relationships. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Mobile social media in inter-organizational projects: Aligning tool, task and team for virtual collaboration effectiveness

Inter-organizational projects face unique challenges and opportunities due to team diversities and task complexity. Mobile social media like WhatsApp and WeChat emerge as new-generation collaboration tools in such endeavors. Based on a literature review, this study posits that how well team-tool, task-tool and team-task relationships are handled shape virtual collaboration effectiveness. The conceptual framework, validated with the interviews from inter-organizational project team members in China and the USA, leads to a research model. The results of a larger-scale survey confirm that tool usability, task fit and team connectivity contribute to virtual collaboration effectiveness, which affects project management success and team appreciation. In addition, there are noticeable cross-country differences, especially the opposite moderating effects that degree of use imposes on the relationship between virtual collaboration effectiveness and project management success. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed

Working with Tweets: The Effectiveness of Lean Communication in Collaborative Problem-Solving

Among social network sites and tools, Twitter and other microblogging tools are characterized by their particularly "lean" communication form, based on quick and short messages, particularly appealing for personal use by the so called "generation Y". In this paper we investigate whether lean communication - and particularly Twitter - can be used as a tool for teamwork in organizations. Therefore, our research question is focused on whether Twitter could represent a viable communication tool in the future enterprise for collaborative problem solving. More specifically, whether the 140 characters limit would actually make a difference. To answer this research question, we propose here a comparative study of Twitter, a well-known SNS for microblogging, and Skype, a typical communication platform for individuals and organizations. The laboratory experiment method was selected in order to conduct a rigorous comparison with well- defined measurements. Different teams of the same size carry out a well structured problem- solving task communicating via Twitter or Skype. Comparative group performance is measured in terms of task completion time. Our results show that the lower volume of information exchanged via Twitter does not negatively affect group performance: Twitter teams are just as effective as Skype teams. These results can be partly explained in terms of media richness theory, but more interestingly they may be related to the different group dynamics within teams using different systems, and to further dimensions of investigation including the subjects, the task, the technological features and the organizational coordination modes, disclosing new paths for further research

Comparing the task effectiveness of instant messaging and electronic mail for geographically dispersed teams in Taiwan

To improve task effectiveness of geographically dispersed teams, media selection approaches a complex issue involving media features and user characteristics. This study compares user perceptions about task effectiveness between instant messengers (IM) and e-mail (EM). Using a field experiment, the design contrasted teams using EM with teams using IM. Thirty-four teams of two graduate students were enrolled as participants from five universities in Taiwan. Two people were separated geographically and had to communicate accordingly. Results indicate that IM-supported teams generated more ideas and task success. However, no significant difference was found in task difficulty between the IM and EM users. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Rigor and relevance: The application of the Critical Incident Technique to investigate email usage

Information systems research is often criticized for its high rigor, but low relevance. One approach to overcome the low relevance issue is to employ sound qualitative methods, out of which this study focuses on the critical incident technique (CIT) that has mostly been overlooked in IS research. The primary goal of this study is to demonstrate and validate the usage of the critical incident technique in the management information systems domain. The secondary objective is to develop a number of practical recommendations for email service providers and to offer novel theoretical insights that may be employed in future research. To this end, 107 positive and 113 negative critical incidents pertaining to email usage were collected and analyzed through classical content analysis techniques. Overall, this investigation validates the usage of the CIT in the MIS field and presents practical and theoretical recommendations

Influence of big-data based digital media on spiritual goal strivings and well-being: a media richness theory perspective

A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyBig-Data characteristics and spirituality are seldom discussed together in the context of assistances provided by big-data based digital media on spiritual goal strivings (SGS). This study’s main aim is to investigate the significance of this relationship between big-data based digital media characteristics and SGS outcomes, and its impact on well-being. A theoretical integrated framework was developed underpinned by Media Richness Theory (MRT) to capture the influence of big-data based digital media characteristics on SGS outcomes. The research design of this epistemological study adopted positivism type of scientific enquiry; employing a deductive approach confining under quantitative research methods and used survey data collection technique. Non-probability self-selection sampling was used and a total of 987 valid responses were analysed by applying statistical tests and techniques following rigorous statistical Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) techniques using IBM AMOS. The results revealed the existence of significant relationship between the big-data based digital media characteristics and SGS outcomes. The study also reveals that digital media characteristics influences successes in SGS outcomes where certain aspects of digital media characteristics are shown to assist SGS towards accomplishments while some have shown to cause hindrances for SGS to be accomplished. The results also confirmed that success in SGS accomplishments increased vitality aspect of well-being. This information is vital for decision making, implementing and planning for various spiritual stakeholders mainly spiritual seekers, spiritual organisations and user experience (UX) - user interface (UI) designers of big-data based digital media developers. With this knowledge contribution, the stakeholders are able to make informed decisions and look for efficient strategies that would provide effective, reliable and sustainable assistances towards SGS accomplishments. The study provides theoretical contribution to the body of IS literature with an integrated and extended MRT conceptual framework providing the foundation for exploring the extended MRT instrument for future studies in similar thematic contexts by other researchers. Further, this study’s empirically validated evidence provides practical contribution in its effort to spiritual stakeholders with the confidence to adopt and develop effective strategies to implement big-data based digital systems in organisations with selective configuring and tuning to utilise the accelerating aspects of the medium for effective SGS accomplishments. UX and UI stakeholders will benefit significantly to be able to design and develop digital systems supporting SGS based on a deeper understanding of the certain factors from this study which indicates significant influence on SGS and to look for effective strategies in their development phase to accommodate the revealed concerns and assistances that would provide efficient, consistent and sustainable spiritual goal outcomes. Overall the findings in this study provide optimistic future for utilising the assistances provided by big-data based digital media capabilities for SGS accomplishments. Overall statistical results reveal that the advantages of assistances provided towards SGS outcomes outweighed the disadvantages of hindrances towards SGS outcomes