How Context Impacts on Media Choice

Stieglitz S, Brockmann T, Mirbabaie M


Abstract
The relevance of mobile working is steadily increasing. Based on new mobile devices (e.g. smartphones) and their innovative functionalities, an increasing amount of data is being made available ubiquitously. As a result, the growing diffusion of smartphones offers new potential for enterprises. Current mobile devices and related mobile networks have reached a high level of maturity. Thus, the organizational aspects of mobile work have become a focal point of interest for enterprises as well as for academics. This research article addresses the question: How does context influence the choice of communication channels of mobile knowledge workers? An explorative research approach is used to collect and analyse 418 communication incidents, which were initiated by mobile knowledge workers. The results indicate that (1) the context (e.g. travelling on trains) influences the usage of communication channels and (2) smartphones enable the usage of communication channels (e.g. email) in certain contexts

Keywords
Media synchronicity theory; context; knowledge worker; mobile; media choice



Publication type
Research article in proceedings (conference)

Peer reviewed
Yes

Publication status
Published

Year
2014

Conference
25th Australasia Conference on Information Systems

Venue
Auckland, New Zealand

Language
English