The Interaction of Process Losses, Process Gains, and Meeting Satisfaction Within Technology-Supported Environments

Abstract

Although computer mediated communication (CMC) technology has been shown to enhance productivity, increase participation equality, and improve decision quality, these reported increases in performance have not always been accompanied by related increases in meeting satisfaction. Various input-process-output models in the CMC literature have portrayed process losses and process gains as important variables affecting meeting satisfaction. A research model portraying the impact of process losses and process gains upon two dimensions of meeting satisfaction (outcome satisfaction and process satisfaction) is developed and tested. Results indicate that process losses generate negative effects upon both dimensions of meeting satisfaction, but only within identified CMC environments. Within anonymous CMC environments, however, the effect of process losses upon either outcome satisfaction or process satisfaction is negligible. Conversely, process gains generate positive effects upon both outcome and process satisfaction regardless of anonymity levels. These findings suggest that the inconsistencies in research outcomes regarding CMC meeting satisfaction may be resolved if researchers distinguish between outcome satisfaction and process satisfaction as separate dimensions of meeting satisfaction.