George Easton

A Study of Collaborative Group Work With and Without Computer-Based Support

As organizational environments become more turbulent and as managers spend more time in meetings in an effort to deal with that turbulence, using information technology to support meetings has become more important. This paper reports on an experiment that compared meetings supported by information technology to meetings with conventional manual support only. The experiment differs from most previous group decision support system (GDSS) experiments in that solutions to the task it used could be objectively scored, it introduced assigned leadership as an independent variable, and it is the first GDSS experiment to compare use of a subset of the University of Arizona GroupSystems GDSS tools to manual group methods. In addition to a communication condition (GDSS or manual) and assigned leadership, the experiment also investigated the effects of anonymity on group process and outcomes. The experiment found that GDSS groups were less likely to reach consensus, took more time to reach a decision, and had more e...

Using two different electronic meeting system tools for the same task: An experimental comparison

Abstract:Various aspects of the design and use of Electronic Meeting Systems (ems) have been investigated in laboratory and field studies, but until now no one has systematically investigated the role of ems software on group performance. The current study compares two different ems software tools in a controlled experiment. Dependent variables are decision quality, number of unique alternatives generated, satisfaction, and consensus. The study found that one software tool produced better quality solutions to a combination creativity and intellective task, but the other helped generate more unique alternatives. Each tool worked best on the task for which it was designed. The findings support the authors’ premise that there should be a match between the ems software tool and the task to be performed. The findings have several implications for the design of ems software.

An experimental investigation of electronic focus groups

Recently, we began applying Group support systems (GSS) tools to tasks and groups that are uncharacteristic of the GSS research literature. Instead of using GSS tools on tasks requiring a solution, a decision, or any threshold consensus measure, we examined the potential utility that these tools have in the area of marketing research, specifically with focus groups. The results of an experimental study to validate the use of this technique are presented. The results indicate that GSS can offer improvements in the areas of, number of comments, focus on the task, and distribution of participation, while not suffering a loss of participant satisfaction. Additionally the results show some promise that the size of focus groups can be increased through the use of GSS technology.

Supporting Group Writing with Computer Software.

Our article presents an overview of computer-supported collaborative work (CSCW) group writing tools. Although not an exhaustive overview, we suggest a framework to classify group writing tools. Our framework can be utilized for classifying future group writing software. The tools reviewed here are classified partly by the way group members enter and edit textual documents collectively since collectivity, we argue, is the essence of collaborative writing. Collaborative or group writing tasks are an important part of most business peoples’ work today. Collaboration occurs for writing short documents, such as memos, letters, information briefs, or press releases or for writing longer documents, such as reports, proposals, or policy and procedure statements. Group writing usually produces better documents because of the authors’ combined experiences and writing abilities. However, several problems are inherent in most group work such as time and distance constraints and differences in styles and personalities of group members. Some group writing problems, nevertheless, can be solved by using computer software tools specifically designed to enhance collaborative work. As a result, we discuss an assortment of

Teaching in the Electronic Boardroom

Abstract Managers spend a significant portion of their time working in groups. Recent advantages in information technology have led to the development of computer-based tools to make group meetings more productive. Although research into the use of electronic meeting systems suggests that they can improve group efficiency, these systems have not yet been widely integrated into business classes. This article describes how electronic meeting systems can be incorporated into the classroom and provides recommendations for their use.