A Socio-technical Perspective on New Media and Information Sharing in Government and Non-government Sectors in India

Abstract

The Information System (IS) discipline studies the way individuals, groups and organizations use information. Although these methodologies have traditionally focused on the design of hardware, software and data aspects of the IS, newer (the so called ‘soft’) approaches involve more consideration of human factors issues. These socio-technical methodologies incorporate a higher level of participation by system users and focus on identification of user needs and task satisfaction. This study examines how socio-technical factors (for example, organizational climate and IT-related issues) affect information sharing through their effects on perceived relative satisfaction with the new media (e-mail, instant messaging and videoconferencing) in the government and non-government sectors in India, an emerging economy. The findings reveal a digital divide between the non-government and the government sector. Though technology has been continuously upgraded in most government organizations, the same cannot be said about communication. The study also reports wide gaps between the use, adoption and application of technology and what people desire socially. The study recommends structuring of the new media to harness data and information from participants.