Internet related network coordinating tools and their uses amongst different classifications of business employees

Abstract

Computer networks play a significant role in business management nowadays. This is especially true for Taiwanese business, which has made a considerable contribution to the global information products. Most enterprises in Taiwan rely heavily on various networking tools to coordinate the business procedures. This research adopted the viewpoints of the technology acceptance model and information richness theory: The users would experience usefulness and ease of use during the interaction process because of the abundant networking information. Due to their high network-utilization tendency, Taiwanese business employees were selected as the study sample. The purpose of this study was to categorize the types of users with different job content using networking tools as coordination media. The empirical study found four types of users: the followers and imitators, the self-confident, the technophiles, and the mediocre and conservatives. Moreover, significant differences were found across the four groups in terms of their interactions with, and cognition of, networking tools. Last, the study provided some suggestions for managerial practices according to the characteristics of these four types of users. Key words: Network, interaction, cognition, Taiwanese business.