A49. D'Ambra,
J., & Rice, R. E. (1994). Multi-method approaches for the study of
computer-mediated
communication, equivocality, and media selection. IEEE Transactions
on Professional Communication, 37(4), 231-239.
This paper presents a longitudinal case study of the introduction
of voice mail, applying media richness theory to develop and assess a
set
of 16 tasks with varying levels of equivocality, and to compare
different
media. Through t-tests, reliability, factor, and
multidimensional
scaling analyses, evaluation of task equivocality and voice mail is
discussed
and potential shortcomings of current approaches are highlighted.
Results
show that equivocality does not seem to be unidimensional and includes
aspects of authority across organizational boundaries. Across all
tasks,
telephone would be most likely selected by respondents, but
face-to-face
and telephone were more likely to be selected for more equivocal tasks.
Unlike in prior studies, voice mail is perceived as similar to
documents
and face-to-face.
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