Sequences of Information and Communication Technology Use Keri K. Stephens Jan-Oddvar Sørnes Ronald E. Rice Larry D. Browning Alf Steinar Sætre
Dec 17, 2015
Sequences of Information and Communication Technology Use
Keri K. StephensJan-Oddvar Sørnes
Ronald E. RiceLarry D. BrowningAlf Steinar Sætre
Background
“communication efficiency may rest on sequences or combination of media rather than isolated choices about a discrete ICT” (Walther & Parks, 2002, p. 534)
Yet, our communication theories typically only consider discrete ICT use
(a few mentions in Pieterson’s thesis)
Background
Media Use Patterns:
Discrete Simultaneous (multitasking) Sequential Follow up Combinations/Patterns
Background
Some mention of prior research on multiple media channels in Pieterson’s thesis:
US: 22% used multiple channels during last service encounter with government org
Canada: 1.9 channels to obtain last used service
Background
Pieterson results: some sequences due to “habit”, such as Internet then phone
Most multiple channels in last two service contacts were same: web – web 77%; phone – phone 69%; post – post 43%; front desk – front desk 28%
But: phone – email 52%; phone – front desk 40%
Hypotheses & RQs
Discrete ICT use
Uses & Gratifications & empirical work by Flanagin & Metzger (2001) 10 motivations With 1 identified through interviews, grouped into five reasons
Hypotheses & RQs
Sequential ICT use
Media richness (multiple cues, timely) Information theory (redundancy) Cost minimization (access, error, delays, media transformations)
Hypotheses & RQs
Sequential ICT use
Why do people use sequences? Do reasons vary by sequence? Look at the follow-up medium more closely
Method
N = 66 managerial and professional knowledge workers, diverse industries, all expert ICT users, from 64 organizations in variety of industries
In-depth interviews, transcribed (2500 pages) “walk me through your typical day” “how do you use ICTs in your daily work” “how do you learn new job-related info”
Method
Content analysis of interview data Used NVivo 4,448 sentences or qualifying units of analysis
(out of 24,152 sentences)– coded into ICT used & reason for use– coded 328 mentions of sequences – acceptable inter-coder reliabilities (.92
sentence; .93 ICT; .79 use)
Method
Most frequent coded:
FTF Email (sending or receiving) Web (online access, searching) Computer (offline applications, software) Paper Telephone
Discrete ICT Use
Web most frequently used (37%), followed by email (20%), FtF (14%), the computer (8%), paper (6%), and telephone (6.2%)
Across all ICTs, information purposes are the most frequently stated reasons (63%) to use ICTs
Web the most frequently used ICT (41%) to get information
FtF used most frequently to persuade (46%) Computer used most frequently to document (48%)
Discrete ICT Use
10 discrete media associated with five reasons (chi-sq = 998, p<.001)
Separately significant: Information: web more frequent; FTF and computer
less frequent, than expected Persuasion: FTF and telephone more; Web, email,
paper, intranet less Documentation: email, computer, intranet, database
more; web, FTF, telephone less Social: FTF more; Web less
Sequential ICT Use
Most frequent sequences: Web then FtF (N = 47), Computer then Web (N= 31), FtF then email (N = 26), and Web then Computer (N = 25)
ICT most frequently used second in a sequence is FtF (N = 74), followed by email (N = 62)
The six ICTs used second that are mentioned most frequently are the same six mentioned discretely, yet the frequency order differs
Sequential ICT Use
What reasons do organizational members give for using ICT sequences?
ICTs by Information, persuasion, documentation: chi-sq =98.9, p<.001Separately significant: Persuasion: FTF-email more frequent; computer-Web less frequent than expected Documentation: computer-Web more; Web-FTF less
Sequential ICT Use
Created two ratio-level measures, normalized for number of codes per interview Percentage of mentions of each of five major reason categories Percentage of mentions of sequential ICT use
Regression on % sequential use: R2adj. = .10 Either information, or persuasion (-.82) Persuasion only remaining significant individual predictor β =.26, p < .05
Sequential ICT Use – Follow-up ICT
Follow-up ICT by reasons significant: chi-sq = 60, p<.001
Separately significant: Documentation: Web more frequent; paper less frequent than expected
Patterns of Sequential ICT Use
Used first-second ICT pair matrix
Entered into hierarchical clustering
Plotted in Multidimensional scaling
Classification of Follow-up ICT Use
Textual Linking
Auditory Linking
Textual Personal
No instance found
Textual Auditory
Results from Hierarchical Cluster Analysis
Connecting with Others
Personal
Examples from Transcripts
Most frequent: Web – FTF
• Preparing for FTF meeting
• Primarily information, then persuasion
• Used web to gather information and prepare, such as from customer’s web site, to be more credible
Second most frequent: computer-web
• Individual work
• Documentation, information; ex: prepare ppt, search web for specific information
Discussion
Supported Flanagin & Metzger’s (2001) work People trying to persuade are more likely to use sequences of ICTs The Web is used as a preparation step, and this use works well in the complex process of establishing source credibility Reinforcement of message in a textual ICT appears to be a persuasive strategy When paper & email are used 2,nd the persuasion reasons for this use are more than when they are used 1st.
Discussion
Media Richness Theory and Information (uncertainty) Theory:
Expand number of cues, redundancy, reduce errors Web followed by FTF (needed cues, reduce errors) FTF followed by email (documentation, reduce errors; commitments, organize information)
Discussion
Media Richness Theory
As discrete ICTs, used least frequently for persuasion:
Web (15%) Email (14%) Paper (7%)
Classifying ICTs& Linking to Theory
ICTs found in the textual personal quadrant, paper and computer, used less frequently than the other four ICTs
Suggests that ICT sequence are used to link people
Media trait theories & social influences both matter and work together when considering sequential use
Classifying ICTs& Linking to Theory
1st Consider if others need to be involved Degree of connection with others dimension Social influence (Fulk et al., 1990), & structurational views
2nd Consider characteristics of textual or auditory Degree of availability of auditory information Media trait perspectives (Daft & Lengel, 1984, 1986)