Electronic Communication Tools Research Articles

Extending the Individual Level of Virtuality: Implications of Task Virtuality in Virtual and Traditional Settings

Virtuality in organizations has usually been treated as a characteristic that is observed either at a team or organizational level. However, the penetration of new technologies into our lives has transformed the entire design of organizations and teams. Not only has the design of teams and organizations changed, but the context and design of our jobs have also been impacted. Today, even employees in traditional team settings use electronic communication tools to work with multiple dispersed contacts outside of their teams and organizations, such as colleagues, clients or suppliers, who do not share the same geographical location. With all of these changes, virtuality can no longer be considered as a concept that is exclusive to virtual team members. In today’s organizations, to some extent, everyone’s tasks involve non-face-to-face contacts, irrespective of team virtuality. It therefore becomes crucial to identify the task virtuality phenomenon in organizations. With this paper, the example of Yahoo! is used as a case study to illustrate how task virtuality can be relevant for the design of organizations. Additionally, the proposed two-dimensional framework integrates both team virtuality and task virtuality elements in organizations. This framework is novel in that it not only allows us how to conceptualize the task virtuality, but also provides practical guidance for managers to identify and understand the factors leading to high task virtuality and to deal with the resulting complexities.

Research on the Information Push System Using Case-Based Reasoning

Information push systems play an important role in reducing information overload for people visiting online sites, but their services could be improved by using data from online social networks, electronic communication tools and others. Information push systems are used by electronic commerce sites to suggest products to their customers and to provide consumers with information to help them determine which products to buy. There are many electronic commerce applications on the Web. A common shortcoming is the lack of customer service and marketing analysis tools in most electronic commerce websites. The paper presents the information push system using case-based reasoning. It introduces the case-based reasoning technology and analyzes the case representation, case library and case search. Lastly, it gives the architecture of the information push system using case-based reasoning.

Netiquette in Electronic Communication

Electronic mail and electronic communications systems are considered significant and effective tools of communication. One of the most widespread electronic communication tools is e - mail communication. In order to avoid misinterpretation of the report on the side of the recipient, it is need to pay attention to the writing of e - mail messages as well as to their content.
 With the continuous expansion of the use of electronic communication there have gradually developed certain rules of etiquette in electronic communications. The existing rules of the propriety ones are expressed in the term " etiqutte " and are not automatically applied in the new communications environment - media.
 For electronic communication, the new rules of etiquette have been stabilised into a term NETIQUETTE. The word netiquette was created by combining words NET (net) and ETIKETA (a set of rules of social behavior and habits). Netiquette constitutes the rules of the behavior of users on a network. Although the netiquette is merely "an unwritten set of rules", their not using can be understood as a type of disrespect.
 Analysis of knowledge of domestic and foreign sources as well as results of a survey confirmed the justification of paying attention to the education of individuals in NETIQUETTE, irrespective of the degree of education.

Mechanisms of Social Consolidation in the Network Society

During the last five years the world has seen the emergence of mass global and regional social movements outside of institutional structures representing open systems with a spontaneous nature. These social movements do not have any tangible hierarchy and leaders; information within the movement activity is spread virally and mainly using new electronic communication tools - namely, mass self-communication constituting spaces of communication autonomy beyond the control of governments. A feature of the new type of social movements is their emergence in virtual space. Such mass movements manifest intensified consolidation processes in the modern society - due to fundamentally new factors. New practical mechanisms of consolidation amid an increase in the proportion of young people in countries are directly linked with technological developments that influenced in essence communication and changes in the established modern informational society. Virtual mass self-communication becomes the main practical mechanism for social consolidation in the modern informational society. The consolidation process intensifies due to government legitimacy crisis and loss of public trust in government and indicates an emergence of a new form of a civil society.

Notice for ‘Cyberbullying in schools: A research of gender differences’

This study investigates the nature and the extent of adolescences’ experience of cyberbullying. A survey study of 264 students from three junior high schools was conducted. In this article, ‘cyberbullying’ refers to bullying via electronic communication tools. The results show that close to half of the students were bully victims and about one in four had been cyber-bullied. Over half of the students reported that they knew someone being cyberbullied. Almost half of the cyberbullies used electronic means to harass others more than three times. The majority of the cyber-bully victims and bystanders did not report the incidents to adults. When gender was considered, significant differences were identified in terms of bullying and cyberbullying. Males were more likely to be bullies and cyberbullies than their female counterparts. In addition, female cyberbully victims were more likely to inform adults than their male counterparts.

The A3 Problem Solving Report: A 10-Step Scientific Method to Execute Performance Improvements in an Academic Research Vivarium

The purpose of this study was to illustrate the application of A3 Problem Solving Reports of the Toyota Production System to our research vivarium through the methodology of Continuous Performance Improvement, a lean approach to healthcare management at Seattle Children's (Hospital, Research Institute, Foundation). The Report format is described within the perspective of a 10-step scientific method designed to realize measurable improvements of Issues identified by the Report's Author, Sponsor and Coach. The 10-step method (Issue, Background, Current Condition, Goal, Root Cause, Target Condition, Countermeasures, Implementation Plan, Test, and Follow-up) was shown to align with Shewhart's Plan-Do-Check-Act process improvement cycle in a manner that allowed for quantitative analysis of the Countermeasure's outcomes and of Testing results. During fiscal year 2012, 9 A3 Problem Solving Reports were completed in the vivarium under the teaching and coaching system implemented by the Research Institute. Two of the 9 reports are described herein. Report #1 addressed the issue of the vivarium's veterinarian not being able to provide input into sick animal cases during the work day, while report #7 tackled the lack of a standard in keeping track of weekend/holiday animal health inspections. In each Report, a measurable Goal that established the basis for improvement recognition was present. A Five Whys analysis identified the Root Cause for Report #1 as historical work patterns that existed before the veterinarian was hired on and that modern electronic communication tools had not been implemented. The same analysis identified the Root Cause for Report #7 as the vivarium had never standardized the process for weekend/holiday checks. Successful outcomes for both Reports were obtained and validated by robust audit plans. The collective data indicate that vivarium staff acquired a disciplined way of reporting on, as well as solving, problems in a manner consistent with high level A3 Thinking.

Provider‐to‐provider electronic communication in the era of meaningful use: A review of the evidence

Electronic communication between providers occurs daily in clinical practice but has not been well studied. To assess the impact of provider-to-provider electronic communication tools on communication and healthcare outcomes through literature review. Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Google Scholar, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Academic Search Premier. Publication in English-language peer-reviewed journals. Studies provided quantitative provider-to-provider communication data, provider satisfaction statistics, or electronic health record (EHR) communication data. Literature review. Two reviewers conducted the title review to determine eligible studies from initial search results. Three reviewers independently reviewed titles, abstracts, and full text (where appropriate) against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Small number of eligible studies; few described trial design (20%). Homogeneous provider type (physicians). English-only studies. Of 25 included studies, all focused on physicians; most were observational (68%). Most (60%) described electronic specialist referral tools. Although overall use has been measured, there were no studies of the effectiveness of intra-EHR messaging. Literature describing the effectiveness of provider-to-provider electronic communications is sparse and narrow in scope. Complex care, such as that envisioned for the Patient Centered Medical Home, necessitates further research.

Anglers' perceptions of recreational fisheries and fisheries management in Mallorca

The growing relevance of recreational fisheries has increased the need for acceptable, workable and sustainable policies. Identifying the regulatory preferences and perceptions of anglers can assist in determining fishers' behaviors and improving the management of coastal fisheries. In this case study of Mallorca Island, Spain, we investigated anglers' perceptions using data obtained from questionnaires. The anglers' responses were somewhat contradictory. They reported pleasure as a main motivation, although fish consumption was also deemed very important. Anglers reported a positive attitude toward licensing, managers, and management rules. They appreciated fishing access restrictions (e.g., closed seasons and marine protected areas MPAs), but they did not consider these restrictions to be effective. The management option that was least favored but considered to be the most effective was that of catch-and-release, which sets minimum size restrictions and requires the release of 20% of captures. A hook size restriction was considered an effective and positive measure, although most anglers admitted that they did not know the hook size they used. If one control measure was to be eliminated, the anglers' preferences were split between removing bag limits and ending the catch and release policy for some sizes and species. Anglers' understanding of management measures was limited and based primarily on person-to-person communication. Communication with managers was functionally unidirectional and primarily consisted of an instruction booklet issued with each fishing license. The use of electronic communication tools (i.e., web pages) was very low. The quality of communication between fisheries agencies and the fishing public may challenge management credibility and affect compliance with regulations.

Digital Boundary Objects as Negotiation Facilitators: Spanning Boundaries in Virtual Engineering Project Networks

Advances in electronic communication tools have enabled collaborative engineering work to be conducted in virtual project networks that utilize “digital boundary objects” to exchange complex design knowledge. However, little is known about whether and how digital boundary objects facilitate negotiations in virtual settings that feature real-time communication. This article addresses this gap by exploring the role of digital boundary objects in negotiating complex design knowledge in a three-dimensional (3-D) virtual workspace. The authors found that digital boundary objects facilitate negotiations through a three-stage process of structuring negotiation space, structuring knowledge in the structured negotiation space, and framing combinations of structured knowledge.

ORGANIZATION AS AN IMPEDIMENT TO EFFECTIVE ICT CAMPAIGNING

The 2007 Australian federal election has been called the ‘YouTube election’ and the moniker ‘Twitter election’ applied to the 2010 British General Election due to the use of these communication mediums by the major parties. However, while the information and communication technology campaigning of major parties has clearly improved considerably, is this also true of non-major parties such as the Australian Greens? In the early 2000s the Greens were claimed to be the equals of the major parties in internet electioneering, but much has changed since the 2001 Australian federal election. This study examines the development of electronic communication and campaign tools by the Australian Greens between the 2007 and 2010 Australian federal elections, in particular the problems and hurdles the Australian Greens, as a decentralized party, faced in developing a nationally coherent electronic campaign framework. Of particular interest is the impact the existing organizational structures of the party had upon the campaigns in 2007 and how the party overcame those structural barriers.

Healthy Aging 2.0: The Potential of New Media and Technology

The emergence of e-patients (consumers who use the Internet and electronic communication tools to research and communicate about medical conditions) has spawned the era of "Healthy Aging 2.0" to support chronic disease management. Approximately 125 million Americans are living with 1 or more chronic diseases, and this number is expected to grow to 157 million by 2020 (1). Approximately 84% of adults who are aged 65 or older have 1 or more chronic conditions (1). Healthy Aging 2.0 proposes that 21st century information and communications technology offers public health practitioners the unique opportunity to empower, engage, and educate these older adults in chronic disease management.

The adoption of ICT in project‐based and traditional organizations

Purpose – This research aims to investigate the adoption of electronic communication tools and seeks to shed more light on their diffusion process, a challenging task for project‐based (PBO) and traditional business organizations (TBO).Design/methodology/approach – The data for the study were collected through three surveys, one total population survey in the Finnish and Swedish house building industries representing traditional business organizations, together with a focused and a total population survey in project‐based organizations.Findings – The main findings from the survey indicate a difference in attitude between the employees of TBOs and PBOs. Moreover, electronic document management and scheduling were more prominent among PBOs, because these firms exhibit more inter‐organizational communication.Research limitations/implications – The findings are limited to project‐based and traditional business organizations. The research emphasises the fact that PBOs make more inter‐firm collaboration efforts...

Effects of electronic chemotherapy scheduling and communication tools on chemotherapy delivery.

e16504 Background: The Odette Cancer Centre (OCC) manages over 21,000 chemotherapy patient visits per year. Barriers to efficient delivery of chemotherapy include scheduling inefficiencies and staff communication. These issues were addressed via two mechanisms: (1) chemotherapy scheduling tool (2) electronic communication tool for nurses and pharmacy staff. Methods: An electronic Chemotherapy Appointment Reservation Manager (CHARM) was developed. CHARM was configured to calculate treatment times based on preparation and administration times. A web based communication tool was developed to facilitate communication. Data was prospectively collected for 2-week intervals in 2009 and 2010 to assess the effect of both programs. A flow-time analysis and staff satisfaction surveys were conducted comparing the time frames. Results: For 2009, data was collected for 381/796 total patients treated in the two-week period (47.9 %). For 2010, data was collected for 602/836 total patients treated (5% volume increase). In 2010, a reduction in phone calls (for chemotherapy approval) between the nurses and pharmacy of 89% was observed. Order clarifications were reduced by 91%. Thirty-six percent of patients started treatment +/- 30 min of scheduled time in both time frames. However, patients treated >30 mins after their scheduled time increased (20.7% to 71.1%). Nurses were more likely to agree that communication positively impacted on chemotherapy administration after implementation of the communication tool (80% vs. 37%). Staff concern regarding wait times and patient flow remained high (100% in 2010 vs. 90% in 2009). Conclusions: Introduction of a communication tool has resulted in positive outcomes in treatment delivery at OCC. Despite the implementation of CHARM, there was little change in patient flow. Possible explanations include increased patient volumes without infrastructure increases and missing chemotherapy orders. Further improvement may require process changes such as correct bed assignments and closer adherence to CHARM scheduling. Time from patient registration to: 2009 (mins) 2010 (mins) Patient on chemotherapy unit 33 43 Nursing approval 79 85 Pharmacy approval 89 94 Initiation of treatment 126 150

An Empirical Examination of the Educational Impact of Text Message-Induced Task Switching in the Classroom: Educational Implications and Strategies to Enhance Learning

Today´s Net Generation university students multitask more than any prior generation, primarily using electronic communication tools (Carrier et al., 2009). In addition, studies report that many students text during class (Tindell & Bohlander, 2011). This research examines the impact of receiving and sending text messages during a classroom lecture. Recent laboratory research (Ophir, et al., 2009) reported that multitasking impaired performance, particularly among heavy multitaskers. Further, experimental research has shown that technologically induced interruptions can be disruptive, causing increased errors and decreased performance (Monk, et al., 2008). This study is the first to experimentally examine the direct impact of text message interruptions on memory recall in a classroom environment. Participants viewed a 30-minute videotaped lecture during which they were interrupted by receiving text messages requiring responses. Participants in four classrooms were randomly assigned to three groups receiving no text messages, four text messages or eight text messages. Based on the actual number of texts received and sent— including those not sent by the experimenter—three comparison groups were defined: No/Low Texting Interruption (zero to 7 text messages sent and received), Moderate Texting Interruption (eight to 15 texts), and High Texting Interruption (16 or more texts). Following the videotaped lecture, a recall test assessed the impact of text message interruptions on memory. In addition, participants were asked about their typical monthly texting and their attitudes toward classroom texting behaviors. Results indicated that the High Texting group scored significantly worse (10.6% lower) than the No/Low Texting Interruption group although there was no significant difference between No/Low Texting Interruption and Moderate Texting Interruption group nor was there a significant difference between the Moderate Texting Interruption group and the High Texting Interruption group. In addition, while nearly three fourths of the participants felt that receiving and sending text messages during class was disruptive to learning, 40% felt it was acceptable to text in class. Results also indicated that those participants who received and sent more words in their texts performed worse on the test although this was moderated by the elapsed time between receiving (or sending) a text with longer delays resulting in better performance. The results of these studies are discussed in terms of Salvucci et al.´s (2009) Unified Theory of the Multita sking Continuum plus the potential use of metacognitive strategies when faced with potentially disruptive multitasking. Educational implications are highlighted and strategies outlined for maximizing performance in media-rich multitasking environments.

The role of e-readiness assessment criteria in accepting e-commerce for small and medium size enterprises—Development of technology acceptance model

This paper develops Davis technology acceptance model by adding two criteria of e-readiness assessment. For small and medium size enterprises, the paper evaluates the credit of developed model in studying the efficient factors in internet technology acceptance, which is one of the most applicable communication tools in e-commerce. The added factors, taken from models and means of e-readiness assessment, are ”existing information technology infrastructures” as well as ”organization's training”. The authors study 45 small and medium size enterprises in the city of Tehran, which are active in information technology products and services. Using Lisrel structural equation modelling, it is shown that there is a meaningful relationship between the added factors and the variables indicating internet network usage. Therefore, the better factors of e-readiness assessment lead to the higher acceptance level of electronic communication tools in e-commerce.

The Ethical Dilemma of Software Piracy in Islamic Societies: The Case of Kuwait

AbstractThe nature of electronic communication tools, especially the Internet, raises serious ethical issues. As one of those ethical issues, software piracy has become a common activity particularly among college students who have been little deterred by industrial legal actions. While many studies have been conducted in western countries in attempt to identify factors affecting the software piracy, very little research was related to Islamic societies. In this paper, we intend to examine consumer ethical decision making and social norms regarding software piracy in Kuwait, an Islamic society.

Online professional networking: An effective interactive tool

All current evidence indicates that our personal and professional lives are becoming much more dependent on the electronic communication tools as we continue to move forward in the 21st century. Online networking Web sites (i.e., designed for professional purposes) can provide an excellent opportunity for both poultry research-academic centers and the industry to not only achieve their specific short- and long-term goals but have an efficient level of interaction to bridge the existing gap between them.

Improving Social Recommender Systems

Recommender systems play a significant role in reducing information overload for people visiting online sites, but their accuracy could be improved by using data from online social networks and electronic communication tools.

The harmonization of the regulation of blood products: a European perspective

The development of blood products as medicines initially took place on the national level in various countries, which resulted in considerable diversity of mechanisms and stringency of regulatory oversight. The scenario changed dramatically with the catastrophic experience that severe virus infections had been transmitted by blood products world-wide. Blood products, which had been regulated differently in the member states, became subject to the European pharmaceutical legislation in 1989. A specialized directive regulating the blood transfusion sector and the collection of plasma for fractionation was enacted in 2002. The European Community, particularly the Commission and the European Medicines Agency, is continuously refining the requirements, providing detailed technical and scientific guidance. In addition, institutions of the Council of Europe play an important role in the transfusion sector, the elaboration of the European Pharmacopoeia prescriptions, and the co-ordination of Official Medicines Control Laboratory or Laboratories batch release. However, further and sustained efforts towards international harmonization are needed. There are already important mechanisms in place, such as the International Conference on Harmonization initiative, which is producing internationally recognized guidelines on central issues. Another important achievement is the common technical document format, which enables the use of uniform applications for marketing authorization. However, there is still room for progress, for example, questions regarding regulatory requirements for licensing of in vitro diagnostic devices, or mutual recognition of inspections. The World Health Organization continues to play an important role in harmonization, both substantially by the production of high-level guidance documents or the establishment of physical international standard preparations, and in a more general sense by providing a platform for international collaboration. A very important aspect is the transparency of the creation and refinement of regulatory requirements. It is currently the rule that draft legal texts, monographs and guidelines are published for a consultation period before adoption. Effort and attention are required to keep track of the developments. However, in the era of modern electronic communication tools, the necessary information can be found on websites and comments can easily be submitted. Networking and exchange of information will continue to be crucial for development and maintenance of sound and balanced regulatory requirements.

The electronic village: the digital challenges in communication strategies for sporting organisations

The popularity of Web 2.0 has changed communication methods, particularly for the younger generation, who want relationships and engagement with organisations. The changes in digital communication have been enormous in the last ten years and have led to the trend of online communities, often referred to as electronic villages. Sporting organisations and their members were surveyed with regard to their particular communication needs, examining their communication strategies and their acceptance of the latest communication methods. Our findings suggest that many organisations consider communication as an afterthought. We argue that sporting organisations are not making the most of the latest communication methods, nor are they progressing with their members' communication desires or what their members are actually seeking. The members want electronic, two-way and fast communication tools, including electronic newsletters, blogs, Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Short Message Service (SMS) and bulletin boards.