Laku Chidambaram

How much bandwidth is enough? a longitudinal examination of media characteristics and group outcomes

This study addresses three key issues related to media differences among computer-mediated groups meeting face-to-face, synchronously and asynchronously: First, do groups using different media perceive characteristics of these media differently? Second, do media-related perceptions remain static or change as they are used over time? And finally, do media differences result in performance differences, i.e., do richer media result in better performance for equivocal tasks as predicted by bandwidth theories?Some results of this study tend to support media-characteristics theories while others offer limited support for more evolutionary perspectives. For instance, initially, face-to-face groups found their medium to be warmer, have a better interface and be more effective compared to their distributed counterparts. While many of these initial perceptions lingered over time, there was one notable exception. At the start of the study, face-to-face groups rated their medium as being more effective than synchronous groups; however by the end of the study, no significant differences were apparent. Moreover, despite the persistently lower social presence of leaner media, distributed-synchronous groups performed better than their face-to-face counterparts. Finally, the two types of distributed groups-synchronous and asynchronous-did not differ significantly in their perceptions or performance. This study improves our understanding of distributed interaction while simultaneously highlighting the need to further investigate the relationships among tasks, technologies and teams over time.

A longitudinal study of the impact of group decision support systems on group development

Abstract:This paper reports on a study aimed at integrating an important but neglected behavioral issue-group development-into group decision support systems (gdss) research. Group development is based on the fact that most groups have a past and a future, and this affects group outcomes. However, most gdss studies have investigated only a single group session. This study examined the behavior of groups using a gdss over multiple sessions.The study reported in this paper specifically examined the following two questions: (1) does computer support affect the development of decision-making groups? and (2) do the patterns of development differ over time between computer-supported and manual groups? These two questions were studied using a two-factorial repeated measures research design. Results showed significant differences in development patterns between computer-supported groups and manual groups in terms of conflict management and degree of cohesiveness. Mter adapting to gdss, computer-supported groups d...

Evolution of group performance over time: A repeated measures study of GDSS effects

Many studies in the group decision support system (GDSS) literature have reported on the behavior and performance of ad hoc groups meeting for the first, and, in fact, the only time. Such one‐time studies of groups may not represent their longer term behavior and performance accurately. Adaptive Structuration Theory (AST) conceives of technology use as a social practice that emerges over time. AST suggests that meeting outcomes reflect the extent to which structures offered by the technology (such as GDSS tool sequences, meeting agenda, etc.) are faithfully appropriated by the group. Such faithful appropriation, however, takes time. This article explicitly recognizes the relevance of this appropriation process and reports on a lab study that examined the impact of computer support on group performance over time. In general, results showed that the performance of computer‐supported groups improved over time, whereas the performance of non‐computer‐supported groups stayed the same or declined. The number of...

Group Development (I): A Review and Synthesis of Development Models

This is the first of two parts that examine the issue of group development and its impact on the study design of group support systems (GSS). We review the various models of group development, analyze the sources of differences among these models, and synthesize common themes across various models. The paper concludes with a meta-framework for understanding group development; this framework highlights the two areas of focus that have dominated group development research in the past: group processes and outcomes. The second paper will build on the ideas developed here and discuss the implications of group development for GSS research.Previous research on group behavior suggests that groups change over time; patterns of change, referred to as group development models, have been an important area of study for the past four decades. For the first three of these decades, unitary models of group development were very popular; that is, the notion that all groups go through a certain series of predefined stages. In the last decade, however, researchers have cast doubt on such unitary models of group development. Nonsequential models that recognize the uniqueness of each group (and consequently reject the idea of a single, predetermined series of stages) have become increasingly popular. This paper examines the implications of these issues for researchers and managers of groups. It also attempts to serve as the foundation for the propositions developed in the next paper, in which the relevance of group development for GSS research and practice are discussed.

The impact of gender on career success of information systems professionals: A human‐capital perspective

Recent projections by social scientists indicate that by the year 2000 almost half the work force will be comprised of women. Information systems (IS) literature reports that women are underrepresented: only about one‐third of IS employees are female. This may suggest that IS women professionals may be engaging in practices that restrict their entry, promotion and retention. Attempts to examine the career success outcomes of men and women in IS using the human‐capital paradigm. Presents results, based on the survey responses of about 348 employees in the IS field, which suggest that significant gender differences exist. For instance, women were found, on average, to be somewhat younger and less experienced then were men in lower‐level positions and to receive lower salaries than do men even when age, work experience and job level were controlled. Moreover, women have fewer opportunities to interact with people outside their departmental boundaries. Discusses the relevance of these results and presents viable options for fostering the careers and improving the retention of women in the IS field.

Do mediated contexts differ in information richness? A comparison of collocated and dispersed meetings

Examines the question of whether or not media differ in the perceptions they generate among users with respect to social presence, communication effectiveness and the communication interface. The study observes these factors over a four-session period among 33 groups performing a collaborative writing task. Groups were assigned to one of three treatments: face-to-face, distributed synchronous and distributed asynchronous. No significant differences were observed between distributed and face-to-face conditions in their patterns of change over time. Results do indicate, however, that mediated contexts differed in terms of perceived social presence, communication effectiveness and the communication interface, when considered on a session-by-session basis.

Group Development (II): Implications for GSS Research and Practice

This article is the second of a two-part series that examines the issue ofgroup development and its impact on the study and design of group supportsystems. It builds on the ideas developed in the preceding article anddiscusses the implications of group development for group support systems(GSS) research. Specifically, the paper examines the impact of computersupport systems on group development processes. Our previous paper reviewed models of development—based on two competingparadigms, sequential and nonsequential—proposed by various researchers.Despite differences between the two paradigms, individual models share somecommon aspects, from the types of processes experienced to the nature ofoutputs produced, that jointly help describe group development. Commonprocesses displayed in the evolution of a group, distilled from the variousmodels, include cohesiveness, conflict management, balance betweensocioemotional and task needs, effective communication, and involvement ingroup activities. Additionally, the various models also indicate that groupshave critical periods in their developmental path. This paper develops the idea that GSS structures can support groups withtheir developmental processes and help them deal with critical periods. MostGSS provide global structures like anonymity, simultaneity, and the capacityfor enhanced information processing. These structures, if appropriatedeffectively by groups, can influence their developmental paths over time. Inmany cases these structures can help the development of groups by improvingtheir ability to manage conflict, increasing their cohesiveness, developing asense of group identity, and enhancing open communication. This paperdevelops a set of testable propositions that can guide researchers of groupbehavior, organizational users of GSS, and developers of these systems.

Examination of gender effects on intention to stay among information systems employees

This study attempted to explcre disparities between men and women in the IS profession. Specifically, it examined the effect of gender on IS employees’ job satisfaction, organizational commitment and intention to stay. The results of our study--based on the survey responses of about 350 employees in the IS field-suggest that significant gender differences do exist. For instance, women were younger, had fewer years of jcb tenure, were in lower-level positions and ‘were paid less than men. Moreover, women had fewer olpportunitics to interact with people outside their departmental boundaries and were motivated more by intangible rewards compared to men. Contrary to our expectation, we dild not find any gender-based differences in role ambiguity, role cmfliet or career outcomes.

Using group support systems to facilitate the research process

Group support systems (GSS) and their effects on group processes and outcomes have been an object of intense study over the past ten years (1982-92). The purpose of the authors is to take a different perspective with respect to GSS research. Rather than discussing research about GSS, they discuss the capabilities of GSS tools to support the process of doing research. A model of the steps involved in the research process is discussed and specific suggestions for the application of GSS tools are mapped to these research steps. GSS can provide a variety of benefits to researchers, including basic meeting support for multiple researchers in developing elements of the research project, electronically recording data from subjects, performing data analysis, and integrating information and data across the entire research process.<<ETX>>

An empirical investigation of the impact of computer support on group development

The authors report on a study aimed at integrating group development into group decision support systems (GDSS) research. Emphasis is placed on the following two questions: (1) Does computer support affect the development of decision making groups and (2) Do the patterns of development differ over time between computer-supported and manual groups? These two questions were studied using a two-factorial repeated measures research design. Results showed significant differences in development patterns between computer-supported groups and manual groups in terms of conflict management and degree of cohesiveness. After adapting to GDSS, computer-supported groups displayed more productive conflict management and higher group cohesiveness.<<ETX>>