Technological Processes in Organizations, presentation prepared by instructor Wanda J. Barreto for the course OS210 Organizational Communication in Goodwin College
2. Objective
By the end of the class you will be able to…
Examine communication technology in the
workplace and how it has shifted the way people
work and think about work.
9. Types of Technology
The electronic mail
has changed our
personal and
organizational life in
the last 20 years
10. Types of Technology
The World Wide Web (www)
radically changed the way
organizations operate
Workers have access to
relevant technical or policy
information and news
Serves to promote a
desired image,
communicate with
customers and do business
Drains organizational
productivity (shopping,
social networks)
11. New vs. Traditional
Technology
Fax, voice mail, videoconferencing,
management information systems
Allow faster message transmission
Allow communication among
geographically dispersed participants
Allow communication at different points
in time
12. New vs. Traditional
Technology
Electronic bulleting boards, networks,
forums and chat rooms
Provides more memory, storage and
retrieval features
Allow communication with unknown
groups interested in particular topics
Anonymity can serve as a shield for
criminal and unethical activities
13. New vs. Traditional
Technology
The new technology differs in terms of
cues that are available
Phone conference – unable to assess
nonverbal communication
Less face to face
Text messages written with a very specific
code
15. New vs. Traditional
Technology
New communication technologies offer
employees interaction and decision-making
options that traditional ways of working
don’t provide.
16. Theories of Media
Usage
Once a company introduce new
communication technology, not all users
embrace it
17. Theories of Media
Usage
There’s still
resistance to use
computers or to
create a personal
Web page
There is privacy
concern
18. Theories of Media
Usage
There are others who adopt new
technology with great enthusiasm
Early adopters
19. Theories of Media
Usage
Different positions and approaches
Technology won’t be widely embraced until
critical mass of individuals use it (Markus,
1990)
Managers are more effective if choose media
that match the ambiguity of a task (Daft,
Lengel & Trevino, 1987)
Rich media (face to face interaction) – for
highly ambiguous tasks
Lean media (memo, flyer) – for message low
in ambiguity
20. The Social Information
Processing Model
Fulk (1987)
Adoption of technologies can be more
fully explained by looking at social
environment
Communication between coworkers,
supervisors, customers, and others
affects media usage
21. The Social Information
Processing Model
Example
I heard that Web instruction is difficult to
set-up and maintain (Bb)
On the Discussion Board, I read comments
on bad experiences that students had with
Bb
This social information may influence my
perception about designing and teaching
courses in Bb
I might not choose Bb for teaching my
courses
22. The Social Information
Processing Model
Channel expansion
theory
Technology
adoption depends
on
The opinion of
others
The personal
experience with a
specific medium
(Bb)
23. Additional Models of
Media Usage
Choice of communication
media depends on
How technology is
used
Communication about
that use is positive
Richness of the
medium
24. Additional Models of
Media Usage
Ambiguity of the task
Symbolic value of the medium
The coordination required
Social information
25. Effects of Technology
Effects of
technology
depend on its
features and how
people use those
features
Effects of
technology can
take many years
26. Effects of Technology
Surf the Internet
Music Make and receive
Video phone calls
Get directions
Take pictures
27. Effects on Content
Messages are not clear
Electronic media inhibits communication
of social and emotional content
Face-to-face and nonverbal
communication are unavailable
Users develop codes
OMG
LOL
28. Effects on Content
Users are less inhibited in their
communication of socio-emotional
messages
Name calling
Sarcasm
Obscene language
Cyberbullying
29. Effects on Patterns
New technologies improve existing
technologies rather than replace them.
Increase in the amount of communication.
Drowning in data (emails, junk mail,
Nigerian scams, pagers, cell phones, Web,
faxes).
Communication contacts more diverse.
30. Effects on Patterns
Electronic message systems increase
prevalence of upward communication.
Greater equality.
Increased prominence of individuals’
knowledgeable about technology.
Interaction and trust become important.
31. Effects on Patterns
Social networks (Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn) are changing organizational
communication
Negative –job seekers should be careful
of information they post online.
Positive - sites provide important ways
to make contact about work-related
issues.
32. Effects on Patterns
Social networks have moved beyond
individual use as organizations, advocacy
groups, regional associations.
Businesses such as IBM and Microsoft have
begun to develop software to help workers
find the right colleague or “friend” to help
them complete a task, boost productivity
and reduce redundancy.
Increased concerns about privacy.
33. Effects on Structure
Technology can change the way we
structure work and design organizations.
It is often not necessary for workers to
work together at the same time and in the
same place.
Telework
Flextime
Virtual organizations
34. Effects on Structure
Virtual work can
involve working at
home
Work can take place
anywhere: hotel,
airport, car or
restaurant
Virtual
teams/Geographically
dispersed teams
35. Effects on Structure
Advantages of Environmental
virtual work: benefits
Reduced Increased
expenses productivity
Access to global Improved
markets customer service
Enhanced profits
36. Effects on Structure
Challenges of virtual work:
Setup and maintenance costs
Losses of cost-efficiencies
No social interaction
Workers feel isolated and cut off from
the culture of the organization
37. Effects on Structure
Pearlson and Saunders – paradoxes of
telework and virtual organizations:
Paradox 1 Paradox 2
Increased Greater
flexibility and individuality and
increased more teamwork
structure Paradox 3
More
responsibility and
less control
38. Effects on Structure
Better track of schedule and meetings
Requires a lot of coordination
Workers are out of the sight
Teleworkers fear that if they are out of the
sight, they will be less considered for
promotions
39. Effects on Structure
Some scholars argue that technology
Allow top managers to exercise greater
power.
Help to decentralize decision making and
power
Lower-level employees have greater
access to information