The impact of four conferencing formats on the efficiency and quality of small group decision making in a laboratory experiment setting

Abstract

This study reports the results of a laboratory experiment which compares the efficiency and quality of small group decision making in four conferencing and teleconferencing formats. 204 subjects randomly assigned to 51 small decision making groups were asked to reach a group consensus on an information exchange task with a criterion solution. These groups were randomly assigned to one of four conference format conditions: Communication via face-to-face, audio, video, or computer channels. Conferencing format was found to be related to the efficiency and quality of group decision making when the four types of conferencing formats were compared. However, when the Tukey studentized range test is considered, this main effect is seen to be generated by the difference of the computer condition from all other conditions. No significant differences were found on either measure between the face-to-face, audio, and video conditions.