Media Selection Theory Research Articles

Enhancing patient participation in healthcare operations through patient training and education using the theoretical lens of media synchronicity

AbstractThe article proposes and tests a model that examines the type of communication media (personal meetings, group classes, and written materials) that is most effective to train and educate patients how to perform two critical self‐management tasks in the treatment of diabetes. The model is based on media synchronicity theory (MST), a media selection theory. The model was tested by surveying 326 patients diagnosed with diabetes. We found that patients best mastered coproduction tasks that required conveying large amounts of information when written documents were provided. However, when coproduction tasks required comprehension of information that had multiple interpretations, patients increased their coproduction task behaviors when the training was face‐to‐face. Also, as predicted by MST, when learning the healthcare task required conveying little new information that patients could comprehend without struggling, patients trained with face‐to‐face media performed this task better. Finally, as expected, when patients increased the number of task behaviors they performed, their health outcomes improved. We discuss how these findings apply not only to healthcare operations, but also to other services that require extensive customer coproduction.

Framing the tiger — A biodiversity concern in national and international media reporting

International forest and environmental governance processes assume that ideas and concepts surrounding biodiversity at the international level will be made accessible at a national level so that they can be easily adopted by national forest and environmental policy arenas. One prerequisite for a seamless implementation of these ideas and concepts is a common definition of specific problems at different political levels. Different perceptions mirrored by media reporting on problems at different political levels may affect the implementation of policies that must be carried out at a national level, even if decisions concerning this implementation are made at an international level. Using the illustrative case of human–tiger interaction, this article shows how national and international media reporting differ in their framing of a particular problem. Based on a theoretical framework consisting framing and media selection theory, and on initial empirical observations, the article recommends blueprints for future in-depth research on the relationship between media framing and policy at different political levels. This case study is based on quantitative content analysis of reports on tiger–human interaction published between 2005 and 2010 in an international newspaper and a national one from Bangladesh. Our example shows that the selected national newspaper frames the tiger as a threat to the livelihood and well-being of local people, whereas the international newspaper stresses biodiversity and climate-change related aspects of human–tiger conflicts. These results indicate that the framing of an issue in the media can differ considerably at different levels and that this is a fruitful field for future in-depth research.

Business strategic conflict in computer-mediated communication

In this paper, we introduce the concept of business strategic conflict and examine its influence on communication media selection and use in inter-organisational collaborations. In doing so, we show the inherent complexities in the computer-mediated interactions between synergistic companies in the same industry. The work draws on a field study carried out for 5 months in a case of a product design collaboration between two large high-tech corporations in Taiwan and Korea. Findings show that at an early stage of the collaboration, the use of media has shifted substantially from FTF meetings to email, while it is also found that, due to the competitive nature of the inter-organisational collaboration involved, business strategic conflict significantly influences media selection and, in turn, it is influenced by the selected media. Our results contribute to media selection theories that have so far neglected the coopetitive inter-organisational environment.

Effects of the Upward Influence Strategies on the Communication Media Selection

In asymmetric interpersonal relationships between a manager and the employee, the media selection behavior under formal or informal context is likely influenced by the upward influence strategy of an employee. According to increasing the usage of online communication media such as electronic mail, internet bulletin board, and chat software and so forth, the styles of media selection have been also changed. Although many studies related to the usage of offline-oriented communication methodologies in organization, have been performed, there must not be enough studies for media selection behavior in online and offline circumstances. This study investigates the relevance between the upward influence tactics and the media selection behaviors in specific circumstances like benevolence and conflict. The research findings indicate the rational strategy person usually prefers FTF(face-to-face) communication to others under benevolent and informal/formal context. On the other hand, the soft strategy person more often makes choices the documented communication, as one of asynchronous media. But, under the conflict context, there were no difference between groups in media selection behavior. We conclude that the media selection behavior will be affected by the personal upward influence strategy and the interpersonal relationship. This implication can give contribution to the organizations considering how to improve the effectiveness in upward and downward communication. Keywords: Upward Influence Strategy, Media Selection Theory, Formal/Informal Communication, Synchronous/Asynchronous Media

On the Need for Mixed Media in Distributed Requirements Negotiations

Achieving agreement with respect to software requirements is a collaborative process that traditionally relies on same-time, same-place interactions. As the trend toward geographically distributed software development continues, colocated meetings are becoming increasingly problematic. Our research investigates the impact of computer-mediated communication on the performance of distributed client/developer teams involved in the collaborative development of a requirements specification. Drawing on media-selection theories, we posit that a combination of lean and rich media is needed for an effective process of requirements negotiations when stakeholders are geographically dispersed. In this paper, we present an empirical study that investigates the performance of six educational global project teams involved in a negotiation process using both asynchronous text-based and synchronous videoconferencing-based communication modes. The findings indicate that requirement negotiations were more effective when the groups conducted asynchronous structured discussions of requirement issues prior to the synchronous negotiation meeting. Asynchronous discussions were useful in resolving issues related to uncertainty in requirements, thus allowing synchronous negotiations to focus more on removing ambiguities in the requirements.

A New Role for Psychographics in Media Selection

Abstract Most media selection problems involve some kind of matching between media audience and target market membership. As a rule, this matching is done indirectly, using demographics as mediating variables. Recent studies have suggested that psychographics might also be used for this purpose. This study evaluates the performance of a standard set of psychographic variables as mediators of the media-market relationship. It then discusses the implications of this performance for media selection theory.