• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.103-124
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• 2010

Social communications using information and communication technologies (ICT) for social interactions have been making a significant impact on task performance in organizations. However, most of the existing studies on ICT (e.g., telephone and email) have only focused on technical improvement of communication efficiencies (e.g., information exchange and storage). In this paper, we claim that ICT may be another alternative source of knowledge creation that enables employees to work, find solutions, and achieve their goals faster and better. We investigate the impact of ICT in terms of both tasks and social aspects with knowledge creation as task performance. Also, we investigate the moderating effect of media synchronicity on these relationships. This study contributes to the understanding of contemporary communications media usage and its performance in organizations. We collected and analyzed survey data of 248 company employees, using PLS. The results indicate that task urgency and social influence directly affect ICT usage, and even knowledge creation. Also the media synchronicity moderates the relationship between the characteristics of a given task and ICT usage and the relationship between ICT usage and knowledge creation. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed in the paper.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Venturing and Entrepreneurship
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.75-96
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• 2011

Recently, Dennis et al.(2008) proposed media synchronicity theory. In this theory, for conveyance communication processes, use of media supporting lower synchronicity should result in better communication performance. But for convergence processes, use of media supporting higher synchronicity should result in better communication performance. This paper proved a part of the propositions of media synchronicity theory, because media synchronicity theory was proposed theoretically, not empirically. We used a data set generated from the survey. The respondents of survey were 163 students who had experienced the communication media in the classes that should summit result of team projects or team reports. According to the results of data analysis, higher use of communication media led to better learning performance. The familiarity of task moderated the effect of communication media on learning performance. And use of media supporting higher synchronicity led to better learning performance.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Industrial Systems Conference
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• 2008.10b
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• pp.479-491
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• 2008

A "task network" is a type of social network that consists of experts who exchange professional help and advice regarding executing tasks. In this study, we investigate the task network used within the IS department of a national bank in Korea. We identify how this network moderates the influence of computer-mediated communication (CMC) technology on an individual s task performance. Size, density, and centrality were measured as the characteristics of a personal task networks. Size equates to the total number of colleagues who work with a specific member for a certain project. Density is the ratio of the number of actual relationships to the total number of available relationships. Centrality defines whether an individual s position is in the exact center of whole network, and is measured by betweenness centrality, meaning the position one member holds between others in a network. Our findings conclude that the conditions - the larger the size of the task network, the smaller its density and the higher its level of centrality - lead to more benefits of using CMC media. Further, this positive effect of CMC is more noticeable when it provides synchronicity.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.65-77
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of the audience and vlog creator's self-disclosure, media synchronicity (immediacy of feedback, variety of symbol set), as well as content authenticity on the intimacy between the vlogger and the audience and continuance intention of the audience. The participants of the online survey were young Chinese females, instructed to practice their routine of watching vlog and the fixed vlog channels. By the interpersonal process of intimacy model and media synchronicity theory, the results of the structural equation modeling revealed that self-disclosure (audience's disclosure) and partner responsiveness (vlogger's disclosure) form the experience of intimacy in interactions. Also, the quick immediacy of feedback, rich symbol set, and content authenticity positively impacted intimacy development. Meanwhile, intimacy enables the audience to form a continuous viewing behavior. We expect the results of this study will provide more insight into the relationship between the audience and the producer in online video content. In terms of the personal media influencers and MCN companies, this study is also suggests strategic implications.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.83-97
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to examine the impacts of media symbol variety on group performance in virtual teams. Symbol variety is defined as the number of ways in which information can be communicated and includes Daft and Lengel [1986]'s multiplicity of cues and language variety. According to media richness theory and media synchronicity theory, the use of media with high symbol variety is assumed to facilitate and promote communications among virtual team members. Therefore, it is expected that the media symbol variety is positively associated with group performance in virtual teams. Furthermore, online relationship building is expected to mediate the impacts of symbol variety on the performance. To confirm the suppositions, a controlled lab experiment was conducted with 60 undergraduate students as subjects. In the experimental virtual teams, subjects were allowed to communicate with other members using text-based messenger with emoticons. Subjects in the control virtual teams were allowed to communicate using only text-based messenger. The direct impact of symbol variety on group performance in virtual teams was found insignificant. However, the online relationship was found to completely mediate the positive impact of symbol variety on group performance. The implications and limitations of this study are also discussed for future research.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.21-43
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• 2008

The task network which is formed of different individuals can be recognized as a social network. Therefore, the way to communicate with people inside or outside the network has considerable influence on their outcome. Moreover, the position on which a member stands in a network shows the different effects of the information systems supporting communication with others. In this paper, it is to be studied how personal CMC (computer-mediated communication) tools affect the mission that those who work for a network perform through diverse task networks. Especially, we focused on synchronicity of CMC. On this score, the perspective of Media Synchronicity Theory was taken that had been suggested by criticizing Media Richness Theory. It is the objective, from this perspective, to find which characteristics of networks make the value of IT supporting synchronicity high. In the research trends of social networks, there have been two traditional perspectives to explain the effect of network: embeddedness and diversity ones. These differ from the aspect which type of social network can provide much more economic benefits. As similar studies have been reported by various researchers, these are also divided into the bonding and bridging views which are based on internal and external tie, respectively, Size, density, and centrality were measured as the characteristics of personal task networks. Size means the level of relationship between members. It is the total number of other colleagues who work with a specific member for a certain project. It means, the larger the size of task network, the more the number of coworkers who interact each other through the job. Density is the ratio of the number of relationships arranged actually to the total number of available ones. In an ego-centered network, it is defined as the ratio of the number of relationship made really to the total number of possible ones between members who are actually involved each other. The higher the level of density, the larger the number of projects on which the members collaborate. Centrality means that his/her position is on the exact center of whole network. There are several methods to measure it. In this research, betweenness centrality was adopted among them. It is measured by the position on which one member stands between others in a network. The determinant to raise its level is the shortest geodesic that represents the shortest distance between members. Centrality also indicates the level of role as a broker among others. To verify the hypotheses, we interviewed and surveyed a group of employees of a nationwide financial organization in which a groupware system is used. They were questioned about two CMC applications: MSN with a higher level of synchronicity and email with a lower one. As a result, the larger the size of his/her own task network, the smaller its density and the higher the level of his/her centrality, the higher the level of the effect using the task network with CMC tools. Above all, this positive effect is verified to be much more produced while using CMC applications with higher-level synchronicity. Among the a variety of situations under which the use of CMC gives more benefits, this research is considered as one of rare cases regarding the characteristics of task network as moderators by focusing ITs for the operation of his/her own task network. It is another contribution of this research to prove empirically that the values of information system depend on the social, or comparative, characteristic of time. Though the same amount of time is shared, the social characteristics of users change its value. In addition, it is significant to examine empirically that the ITs with higher-level synchronicity have the positive effect on productivity. Many businesses are worried about the negative effect of synchronous ITs, for their employees are likely to use them for personal social activities. However. this research can help to dismiss the concern against CMC tools.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.33-63
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• 2016

The diffusion of smartphone has make people engaged in communication with mobile messenger in everyday life. To understand the rapid growth of mobile messenger usage, this study investigates the unique features of mobile messenger services as communication media. Based on the media synchronicity theory and literature about online communication, we identify the functional and emotional features of mobile messenger. In particular, this study demonstrates that functional and emotional features of mobile messenger would influence intimacy and fatigue. Also, intimacy and fatigue, as mediating variables, have an impact on user satisfaction and commitment toward mobile messenger service. The results of this study provide practical implications for mobile messenger providers and users which attempt to facilitate positive effect such as intimacy among users and reduce negative effect such as fatigue on mobile messenger communication.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.10
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• pp.303-313
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• 2018

In order to provide quality services across international airports, airline personnel must rapidly and effectively develop and share knowledge. Combining components of adaptive structuration theory (AST) and media synchronicity theory (MST), a research framework was developed to convey three distinct stages of knowledge sharing. We use the grounded theory research method for the qualitative data collected from audio transcripts of employees learning how to use and work with company issued smartphones with push-to-talk functionalities. Data was collected from 33 operations personnel. The results of the content analysis are recorded for the elements of each of the three concepts of our research framework. During the social interaction stage, the content of the audio conversations shifts mainly from conflict management to task management; for media synchronicity, from quality to quantity; for productive outcomes, from efficiency to commitment. New insights are uncovered from our analysis of data from the field as users advance from learning how to use the mobile devices, to using the devices for managing knowledge for their work in the airline industry.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.99-121
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• 2011

With the advancement of mobile information technology, the era of smart work emerges as a means for enabling us to overcome temporal and spatial constraints. Thanks to smart mobile devices with seamless access, organizations can assign tasks to employees and provide services to the appropriate customers in mobile environments. In addition, smart work facilitates the improvement of coordination and collaboration among individuals and groups performing organizational tasks. The dramatic performance improvement is manifest by utilization of smart work in organizations. Therefore, the interest in the introduction of smart work is growing. With the lens of time-geography, this study investigates what makes smart work successful. This research, especially, concentrates on the processes for overcoming the temporal and spatial constraints in the field. A case study of the Seoul Metropolitan Rapid Transit Talk and Flash (SMRT T&F) is developed and analyzed through the framework of time-geography and the implementation processes and success factors of SMRT T&F are investigated.