E-mail and Direct Participation in Decision Making: A Literature Review

This paper reviews the literature on the effects of the use of e-mail on direct participation in decision making (PDM) in organisations. After a brief review of the organisational literature on participation the paper distinguishes e-mail theories on direct participation in three different theoretical perspectives. Then the paper focuses the attention on the role of e-mail in affecting task type, vertical and horizontal communication and their consequences for PDM. Finally the paper presents indications and open questions for future research.email, e-mail, decision making, participation in decision making, literature review,

Democrats and Republicans Can Be Differentiated from Their Faces

Background: Individuals ’ faces communicate a great deal of information about them. Although some of this information tends to be perceptually obvious (such as race and sex), much of it is perceptually ambiguous, without clear or obvious visual cues. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we found that individuals ’ political affiliations could be accurately discerned from their faces. In Study 1, perceivers were able to accurately distinguish whether U.S. Senate candidates were either Democrats or Republicans based on photos of their faces. Study 2 showed that these effects extended to Democrat and Republican college students, based on their senior yearbook photos. Study 3 then showed that these judgments were related to differences in perceived traits among the Democrat and Republican faces. Republicans were perceived as more powerful than Democrats. Moreover, as individual targets were perceived to be more powerful, they were more likely to be perceived as Republicans by others. Similarly, as individual targets were perceived to be warmer, they were more likely to be perceived as Democrats. Conclusions/Significance: These data suggest that perceivers ’ beliefs about who is a Democrat and Republican may be based on perceptions of traits stereotypically associated with the two political parties and that, indeed, the guidance of these stereotypes may lead to categorizations of others ’ political affiliations at rates significantly more accurate than chanc

Comparing Approaches to Virtual Team Onboarding: the Influence of Synchrony and Cues on Impressions of Leaders During Encounter Phase Organizational Socialization

Whether fully virtual or a hybrid of virtual and face-to-face teams, more organizations use computer-mediated communication than ever before. Under the right circumstances, virtual team environments have been shown to increase employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity (Gallup, 2020). However, there is also consensus that virtual teams take longer to get work done and miscommunicate more frequently than face-to-face teams (Morrison-Smith & Ruiz, 2020). While there is no silver bullet to resolve these shortcomings, one potential area for intervention is during new employee onboarding. This study tests the hyperpersonal model and social presence theory’s application to virtual team onboarding by examining how message characteristics (synchronicity and degree of nonverbal cues) affect new employees’ sense of safety and impressions of their managers during their first moments on the job. The study finds no relationship between synchronicity and degree of nonverbal cues on employees’ sense of safety or impression of their managers. However, the study finds a marginally significant negative interaction effect between synchronicity and low nonverbal cues on impressions of virtual team leaders’ relational communication. Theoretical and practical implications for virtual team onboarding are discussed

Beyond the Refugee Crisis how the UK news media represent asylum seekers across national boundaries

Migration is one of the most pressing, divisive issues in global politics today, and media play a crucial role in how communities understand and respond. This study examines how UK newspapers (n = 974) and popular news websites (n = 1044) reported on asylum seekers throughout 2017. It contributes to previous literature in two important ways. First, by examining the ‘new normal’ of daily news coverage in the wake of the 2015 ‘refugee crisis’ in Europe. Second, by looking at how asylum seekers from different regions are represented. The content analysis finds significant variations in how asylum seekers are reported, including terminology use and topics they are associated with. The paper also identifies important commonalities in how all asylum seekers are represented - most notably, the dominance of political elites as sources across all media content. It argues that Entman’s ‘cascade network model’ can help to explain this, with elites in one country able to influence transnational reports

Online Atmospherics: An Investigation of Feeling and Internet Purchase Intention

This study examines the online atmospheric cues of color and music and their impact upon feeling, attitude and purchase intention of consumers in the online environment. The research design was experimental and used data from a questionnaire. A pilot test of the instrument was conducted. The final questionnaire contained 39 items and a demographic section. A total of 200 questionnaires were collected. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups. Each group of 50 participants was exposed to a specific set of online atmospheric elements. The results indicated that Hypotheses 1, 3 and 4 were rejected while Hypotheses 2 and 5 were accepted. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed along with future research suggestions

An Analysis of Remote Communication Processes Involved in Video- Mediated and Text-Based Computer-Mediated Communication During Collaborative Problem Solving

The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of current available communication mediums on the process of collaborative problem solving tasks in today\u27s modern society. Seven male-only dyads were asked to complete two tasks, both with a finite and definable solution, by communicating through one of three possible ways: face-to- face (FTF), a synchronous text-based computer system (CMC), and a video-mediated system (VMC). The effectiveness of the medium was evaluated based on time to solution, number of turns and words in relation to a visual search task and a spatial task. Results showed a significant difference in time to solution between dyads communicating through CMC and VMC and FTF mode for the visual search task. For the spatial task, significant time differences were found between all modes of communication, with the computer-mediated group taking the longest time to complete the task. No difference was found between FTF mode and VMC mode in regards to number of words and turns for the visual task, and for the special task no significant difference was found between FTF mode and CMC mode

The scope and impact of workplace diversity in the United Arab Emirates – A preliminary study

Managing workplace diversity has become a priority concern among organizations in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today. The UAE has one of the world's largest net migration rates, and the number of workers from India, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, the USA, among other countries, has increased significantly in recent decades. The UAE's cross-border mobility has resulted in the interaction of people with diverse language, customs and ethnic backgrounds. Although diversity has been shown to have a number of benefits, including enhanced employee creativity and competence, this recognition is often found more in theory than actual practice. Diversity can also lead to miscommunication, dysfunctional adaptation behaviours and the creation of barriers that reduce the benefits diversity can bring to the organization. Due to the nature of the UAE workplace, which is dominated by a foreign workforce, this study critically analyses the benefits organizations enjoy and the challenges they face in the diverse workplaces of the United Arab Emirates. The study used a multi-method approach combining survey data from 450 foreign workers with qualitative data from interviews with native officials of organizations. It is an attempt to compare the views of UAE workplace experience from two different groups—non-native workers and native officials. The research found a generally favourable view toward workplace diversity from the perspective of surveyed employees. However, when asked more detailed questions about company policy, a significant segment of respondents expressed reservations about their employer’s ability to implement successful intercultural communication and diversity practices

POWER, INFLUENCE TACTICS, AND INFLUENCE PROCESSES IN VIRTUAL TEAMS

Current studies of power, influence tactics, and influence processes in virtual teams assume that these constructs operate in a similar manner as they do in the face-to- face (FtF) environment. However, the virtual context differs from the FtF environment on a variety of dimensions, such as the availability of status cues. The differences between these contexts may alter how power and influence tactics are expressed in virtual teams. This study examines how power, influence tactics, and influence processes are manifested in virtual teams and which influence tactics are most successful in this context. Twenty-three members of virtual teams were interviewed about their previous attempts to influence team members. The data were coded using a thematic approach. The main findings of the current study were: 1) There is a tendency to use more assertive influence tactics in virtual teams; 2) The success rate of influence tactics varies by the direction of the influence attempt, with lateral influence tactics having the lowest likelihood of success; 3) Specific status characteristics such as knowledge and skills are more relevant for members of virtual teams than diffuse status characteristics; and 4) There is both a relationship orientation and a task orientation in virtual teams. I also present a model for the influence process in virtual teams. First, actors must use technology to get their targets‘ attention. Second, actors should build relationships through getting to know one another and the establishing trust, although this is not a requisite step. Third, actors must choose which influence tactic to use. While many choose to adapt traditional tactics to work in the virtual environment, new influence tactics (e.g., ambiguity reduction techniques) have emerged. Communication technology preferences affect which technologies an actor uses to build relationships and enact influence tactics. The status of the actor and target also affect which influence tactic(s) an actor uses. Recommendations are offered for both low-status members of virtual teams as well as virtual team leaders. Members of virtual teams need to be more assertive in their influence attempts and also need to focus on building relationships with their team members in order to be successful influencers. Future research opportunities are also discussed. Given the growing prevalence of virtual teams, the results of this study are a valuable contribution to both practice and research

Developing the New Zealand Soundmap: An exploration of soundmap practice, site listening, locative media and the sound environment

This text is an exegesis written in accompaniment to the development of the New Zealand Soundmap. The origin and development of soundmap practice and the emergence and development of related environmental sound practices are detailed. The exegesis concludes with an exposition of the development of the New Zealand Soundmap itself. Soundmap practice emerged from the sonic explorations of the World Soundscape Project, who coming out of Simon Fraser University of Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, pioneered the first soundmaps in the early 1970’s. From its origins soundmap practice has spread and developed into its current form as a new media practice. This thesis deals with the development of a regional web-based soundmap for New Zealand. Various discursive strains from media studies, sonic arts, and phenomenological philosophy are woven together to explain the impetus, and value of soundmap practice and related environmental sound practices such as soundwalks and site-listening. The thesis ends with a critical analysis of successes and failures of the project towards its stated goal: to facilitate awareness of an engagement with the local sound environment