UNVEILING USER GRATIFICATIONS SOUGHT FROM UTILIZING EMAIL IN INSTITUTIONAL SETTINGS: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIAN ACADEMIC STAFF

Abstract

Gratification is the basic motive behind using any communication technologies for interactions, especially among the institutional members as a corporate entity. However, it is an ironic scenario in emerging societies such as Nigeria since there is a lack of studies on the specific gratifications that could buttress the use of email as one of the predominant mediums for enhancing institutional communications. Thus, this study explicitly investigated the gratifications sought in utilizing email in institutional settings by the Nigerian academic staff. The study also explored the types of email addresses mostly preferred for conveying salient information among the Nigerian academic staff. Hence, a qualitative paradigm through the interview approach was employed in this study for soliciting their views on these phenomena. Consequently, the study demonstrated that most of the interviewees prefer to use a personal email address for various reasons. With regards to the gratifications sought in using email, three motives emerged and these were students’ integrative needs, bridging distance needs; and self-career development needs. Therefore, it is recommended that they should unequivocally utilize email for gratifying these motives if they anticipate harnessing other institutional mediums of communication. The findings further proffer insights into factors that could enhance virtual media gratifications, particularly asynchronous ones.