Showing papers in "Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication in 2013"
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide a definition of enterprise social media and provide a rough historical account of the various avenues through which these technologies have entered and continue to enter the workplace.
Abstract: Social media are increasingly implemented in work organizations as tools for communication among employees. It is important that we develop an understanding of how they enable and constrain the communicative activities through which work is accomplished because it is these very dynamics that constitute and perpetuate organizations. We begin by offering a definition of enterprise social media and providing a rough historical account of the various avenues through which these technologies have entered and continue to enter the workplace. We also review areas of research covered by papers in this special issue and papers on enterprise social media published elsewhere to take stock of the current state of out knowledge and to propose directions for future research.
688 citations
TL;DR: This work theorizes four affordances of social media representing different ways to engage in this publicly visible knowledge conversations: metavoicing, triggered attending, network-informed associating, and generative role-taking, and mechanisms that affect how people engage in the knowledge conversation.
Abstract: The use of social media creates the opportunity to turn organization-wide knowledge sharing in the workplace from an intermittent, centralized knowledge management process to a continuous online knowledge conversation of strangers, unexpected interpretations and re-uses, and dynamic emergence. We theorize four affordances of social media representing different ways to engage in this publicly visible knowledge conversations: metavoicing, triggered attending, network-informed associating, and generative role-taking. We further theorize mechanisms that affect how people engage in the knowledge conversation, finding that some mechanisms, when activated, will have positive effects on moving the knowledge conversation forward, but others will have adverse consequences not intended by the organization. These emergent tensions become the basis for the implications we draw.
638 citations
TL;DR: This paper re-examines the concept of “meme” in the context of digital culture, and addresses the problem of defining memes by charting a communication-oriented typology of 3 memetic dimensions: content, form, and stance.
Abstract: This paper re-examines the concept of “meme” in the context of digital culture. Defined as cultural units that spread from person to person, memes were debated long before the digital era. Yet the Internet turned the spread of memes into a highly visible practice, and the term has become an integral part of the netizen vernacular. After evaluating the promises and pitfalls of memes for understanding digital culture, I address the problem of defining memes by charting a communication-oriented typology of 3 memetic dimensions: content, form, and stance. To illustrate the utility of the typology, I apply it to analyze the video meme “Leave Britney Alone.” Finally, I chart possible paths for further meme-oriented analysis of digital content.
463 citations
TL;DR: It is found that Twitter users are unlikely to be exposed to cross-ideological content from the clusters of users they followed, as these were usually politically homogeneous.
Abstract: This study integrates network and content analyses to examine exposure to cross-ideological political views on Twitter. We mapped the Twitter networks of 10 controversial political topics, discovered clusters - subgroups of highly self-connected users - and coded messages and links in them for political orientation. We found that Twitter users are unlikely to be exposed to cross-ideological content from the clusters of users they followed, as these were usually politically homogeneous. Links pointed at grassroots web pages e.g.: blogs more frequently than traditional media websites. Liberal messages, however, were more likely to link to traditional media. Last, we found that more specific topics of controversy had both conservative and liberal clusters, while in broader topics, dominant clusters reflected conservative sentiment.
453 citations
TL;DR: The categorical self- report measure asking respondents to estimate “how often” they use their mobile phones fared better than the continuous self-report measure asking them to estimate their mobile phone activity “yesterday.”
Abstract: Approximately 40% of mobile phone use studies published in scholarly communication journals base their findings on self-report data about how frequently respondents use their mobile phones. Using a subset of a larger representative sample we examine the validity of this type of self-report data by comparing it to server log data. The self-report data correlate only moderately with the server log data, indicating low criterion validity. The categorical self-report measure asking respondents to estimate “how often” they use their mobile phones fared better than the continuous self-report measure asking them to estimate their mobile phone activity “yesterday.” A multivariate exploratory analysis further suggests that it may be difficult to identify under- and overreporting using demographic variables alone.
353 citations
TL;DR: This study explores the ways in which the affordances of social media not only increase open communication and knowledge sharing, but also promote covert behavior, creating dialectical tensions for distributed workers that must be communicatively managed.
Abstract: This study explores the ways in which the affordances of social media not only increase open communication and knowledge sharing, but also promote covert behavior, creating dialectical tensions for distributed workers that must be communicatively managed. Drawing on a case study of the engineering division of a distributed high tech start-up, we find our participants navigate tensions in visibility-invisibility, engagement-disengagement, and sharing-control and strategically manage these tensions to preserve both openness and ambiguity. These findings highlight ways in which organizational members limit as well as share knowledge through social media, and the productive role of tensions in enabling them to attend to multiple goals.
261 citations
TL;DR: This study explains why some candidates are more likely to adopt Twitter, have larger networks, and show more reciprocation than other candidates, and shows that being an early adopter of these new technologies is more effective than adoption shortly before Election Day.
Abstract: The present study focuses on how candidates in the Dutch general elections of 2010 use Twitter, a popular microblogging and social networking service. Specifically the study focuses on explaining why some candidates are more likely to adopt Twitter, have larger networks, and show more reciprocation than other candidates. The innovation hypothesis, predicting that candidates from less established and smaller parties will use Twitter more extensively, is unsupported. This suggests that normalization of campaign practices is present on Twitter, not changing existing communication practices. The findings do show that being an early adopter of these new technologies is more effective than adoption shortly before Election Day.
184 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that the affordances of enterprise social networking systems can better address these knowledge sharing challenges than those of conventional knowledge management systems in that social networking applications can blend connective and communal sharing of knowledge.
Abstract: This article conceptualizes how the affordances of enterprise social networking systems can help reduce three challenges in sharing organizational knowledge. These challenges include location of expertise, motivation to share knowledge, and social capitalization in the form of developing and maintaining social ties with knowledge providers to actualize knowledge sharing. Building on previous theories and empirical research on transactive memory theory, public goods theory, and social capital theories, as well as recent research on enterprise social media, we argue that the affordances of enterprise social networking systems can better address these knowledge sharing challenges than those of conventional knowledge management systems in that social networking applications can blend connective and communal sharing of knowledge.
168 citations
TL;DR: Examination of organizations' reactions to social media evolved from being solely concerned with risk management to also considering its value-generating potential, and a third type of association is discovered between employees and organization is discovered.
Abstract: This paper examines how organizations perceive affordances of social media and how they react to their employees' use of social media through policies, a key means of organizational governance. Existing literature identified 4 affordances - visibility, persistence, editability, and association (between people and between people and information) - as action potentials of social media in organizations. Content analysis of a sample of organizational social media policies reveals that organizations especially reacted to the affordances of visibility and persistence much more than to the affordance of editability. It also discovers a third type of association (between employees and organization). It shows how organizations' reactions to social media evolved from being solely concerned with risk management to also considering its value-generating potential.
166 citations
TL;DR: Results showed that participants disclosed more information in their blog entries when they were more visually identified (sharing a picture of themselves), contrary to the assumptions of the online disinhibition effect.
Abstract: The connections between anonymity and self-disclosure online have received research attention, but the results have been inconclusive with regard to self-disclosure in blogs. This quantitative content analysis of 154 personal journal blogs tested some assumptions of the online disinhibition effect in order to examine the effect of types of anonymity on the amount, breadth, and depth of self-disclosure in blog entries. Results showed that participants disclosed more information in their blog entries when they were more visually identified (sharing a picture of themselves), contrary to the assumptions of the online disinhibition effect. Overall, a trend emerged where visual anonymity led to less disclosiveness, and discursive anonymity (sharing one's real name) led to less disclosiveness for particular types of bloggers.
110 citations
TL;DR: This work sought to understand how people conceptualize and use the mobile internet by conducting semistructured interviews with 21 mobile internet users, half American and half German in order to explore cross-cultural differences.
Abstract: Technological convergence has led to the ability to access the internet from a variety of mobile devices. Drawing on the Mobile Phone Appropriation Model (Wirth, von Pape & Karnowski, 2008), we sought to understand how people conceptualize and use the mobile internet by conducting semistructured interviews with 21 mobile internet users, half American and half German in order to explore cross-cultural differences. Findings suggest little cross-cultural difference in use and understanding of the mobile Internet. Users do not perceive the act of “going online” as a significant step, even if it is on a mobile device. They do, however, distinguish between different ways of consuming information online (extractive and immersive), relating them to different situations and devices.
TL;DR: Findings from a survey of over 25000 9- to 16-year-olds from 25 European countries reveal many underage children users, and many who lack the digital skills to use social networking sites safely.
Abstract: European self-regulation to ensure children's safety on social networking sites requires that providers ensure children are old enough to use the sites, aware of safety messages, empowered by privacy settings, discouraged from disclosing personal information, and supported by easy to use reporting mechanisms. This article assesses the regulatory framework with findings from a survey of over 25000 9- to 16-year-olds from 25 European countries. These reveal many underage children users, and many who lack the digital skills to use social networking sites safely. Despite concerns that children defy parental mediation, many comply with parental rules regarding social networking. The implications of the findings are related to policy decisions on lower age limits and self-regulation of social networking sites.
TL;DR: Factor and regression analyses conducted among 231 breast cancer patients revealed that social support perception and emotional well-being interacted with each other to influence online health information seeking.
Abstract: This study attempts to examine the role of social support perception and emotional well-being on online information seeking among cancer patients within the context of CHESS, a well-established Interactive Cancer Communication System ICCS. Factor and regression analyses conducted among 231 breast cancer patients revealed that social support perception and emotional well-being interacted with each other to influence online health information seeking. Patients with low social support perception and high emotional well-being were most likely to seek health information, whereas patients with high social support perception and high emotional well-being sought out the same information least. Practical implications of the study findings are further discussed.
TL;DR: Results show that sponsor credibility affected information assessment, whereas a more appealing Web site design could not compensate for low sponsor credibility, and a high search-engine ranking increased sponsor credibility and thus influenced information credibility indirectly.
Abstract: Online searches for reliable information present a challenge, given the enormous amount of information and variety of sources-many questionable sources offer information on Web sites with an appealing design, which may signal high credibility through appearance. Drawing on a persuasion perspective, conceptualizations for online information credibility, and information foraging theory, a main experiment n = 574 and a follow-up study n = 293 examined influences of Web site sponsorship, Web site design appeal, and search engine ranking on online information credibility. Results show that sponsor credibility affected information assessment, whereas a more appealing Web site design could not compensate for low sponsor credibility. Additionally, a high search-engine ranking increased sponsor credibility and thus influenced information credibility indirectly.
TL;DR: The data suggests that there are a number of different factors at play, and that it is necessary to consider language behaviour in social networking sites in the context of offline language behaviour.
Abstract: Social networking sites feature significantly in the lives of many young people. Where these young people are bilingual, social networking sites may have an important role to play in terms of minority language use and in shaping perceptions of that language. Through a quantitative and qualitative study, this paper investigates the use of language in social networking sites by young Welsh speakers, focussing particularly on Facebook. Language choice and behaviour, factors influencing that behaviour, and attitudes towards use of the Welsh language in Information Technology are explored. The data suggests that there are a number of different factors at play, and that it is necessary to consider language behaviour in social networking sites in the context of offline language behaviour.
TL;DR: This paper contains microanalyses of 2 message threads on mental health discussion forums—one concerning depression and the other ‘emetophobia’ (fear of being sick)—which illustrate some of the discursive functions of such forums.
Abstract: One of their functions of online mental health communities is the construction of coherent identities for their members based on the various characteristics of different mental health conditions. This paper contains microanalyses of 2 message threads on mental health discussion forums—one concerning depression and the other ‘emetophobia’ (fear of being sick)—which illustrate some of the discursive functions of such forums. Conversation analytic techniques are employed, such as the use of second stories for social support purposes, and the generation of category predicates for building up a set of activities that constitute ‘normality’ in this context. It is argued that these socially situated practices constitute a more important function of online support groups than the mere dissemination of ‘advice’.
TL;DR: The hypothesis is presented that participants of SNS develop a tendency to become highly observant and inquisitive about their networks and are frequently involved in an activity that the authors call analytic labor.
Abstract: As is widely observed, social network sites SNS constitute a new environment of interaction where users encounter various challenges that they usually do not encounter in other environments. This study aims to provide an in-depth understanding of how users deal with the challenges in this unique environment, paying particular attention to the ways in which they examine and reflect on their social ties and networks. On the basis of 36 semistructured interviews with Facebook users, the article presents the hypothesis that participants of SNS develop a tendency to become highly observant and inquisitive about their networks and are frequently involved in an activity that the authors call analytic labor.
TL;DR: Tensions within dimensions of information quality were found to consist of dialectic poles: accessibility (open-restricted), contextual (relevant-unsuitable), and intrinsic (reliable-questionable).
Abstract: The hiring process is challenging as the lack of quality information limits the discovery of the true nature of candidates, potentially leading to adverse impacts. Social networking sites (SNSs) have emerged as a potential source for candidate information with more than one billion profiles online. While abundant, the quality of this information for hiring is questionable. Utilizing qualitative interview data, the paper finds issues of quality to be complex as these technologies provide affordances that contradict one another. Tensions within dimensions of information quality were found to consist of dialectic poles: accessibility (open-restricted), contextual (relevant-unsuitable), and intrinsic (reliable-questionable). Understanding these tensions is necessary to explain the nature of perceptions of SNS information quality in the hiring context.
TL;DR: It is concluded that at the heart of information and communication resistance a dynamic dialectic can be observed between mediated opportunities for disruptions and attempts of the powers that be to close down these opportunities.
Abstract: In this article, WikiLeaks is embedded within broader debates relevant to both social movement and mediation theory. First, the nature of the ties between a variety of relevant actors are assessed. Second, the networked opportunities and constraints at a discursive and material level of analysis are highlighted and finally the resistance strategies they employ towards mainstream culture are addressed. It is concluded that at the heart of information and communication resistance a dynamic dialectic can be observed between mediated opportunities for disruptions and attempts of the powers that be to close down these opportunities. Furthermore, it has to be acknowledged that reliance on mainstream actors and structures for exposure, funding or hosting contentious content comes with risks for radical activists.
TL;DR: The Community Activity framework is able to contribute in developing active online communities and interest of community members in both user profiles and the message board increased significantly.
Abstract: Factors contributing to development of active communities are identified and combined into the Community Activity framework, which is useful in setting up new, or revitalizing inactive, communities. Found factors include: notifying members of new messages by e-mail, having a news section, and ability to add pictures to member profiles. During application of the framework to an inactivecommunity,changeshavebeenmadetoprivacyoptions,polls,activitynotifications,andother areas. Significant positive effects have been found in the number of visits, volume of posted messages, and number of topics. Interest of community members in both user profiles and the message board increased significantly. We conclude that the Community Activity framework is able to contribute in developing active online communities.
TL;DR: The results support mediated moderation effect of perceived confidence on expert influence such that changes in perceptions of Chinese and American experts' confidence accounted for their different levels of influence in CMC versus FtF.
Abstract: Expertise recognition is challenging in teamwork, particularly in intercultural collaboration. This research seeks to investigate how cultural differences in communication styles may affect expertise recognition and influence in face-to-face (FtF) versus text-based computer-mediated communication (CMC). Using experimental intercultural groups, we found that in FtF groups East Asian experts had a lower participation rate, and were perceived as less competent, less confident, and less influential than experts from Western culture. No such differences occurred in CMC. The results support mediated moderation effect of perceived confidence on expert influence such that changes in perceptions of Chinese and American experts' confidence accounted for their different levels of influence in CMC versus FtF. No such effect was found with participation rate.
TL;DR: Studying a set of cases from Europe and America, it is found that successful projects typically follow distinctive paths, either large-scale or small-scale, and become what is termed 'stable metaorganizations' or 'established communities.'
Abstract: The paper studies the transition to ICT-based support systems for scientific research These systems currently attempt the transition from the project stage to the more permanent stage of an infrastructure The transition leads to several challenges, including in the area of establishing adequate governance regimes, which not all projects master successfully Studying a set of cases from Europe and America, we look at patterns in the size and scope of the undertakings, embeddedness in user communities, aims and responsibilities, mechanisms of coordination, forms of governance, and time horizon and funding We find that, though configurations and landscapes are somewhat diverse, successful projects typically follow distinctive paths, either large-scale or small-scale, and become what we term 'stable metaorganizations' or 'established communities'
TL;DR: The results indicated that group type was predicted by the type of information presented, the difficulty of becoming a member, and the amount of freedom members had on discussion boards.
Abstract: This study examined and compared the websites of ideological groups from a communications and media use perspective. Thirty-six websites with message boards categorized as either violent ideological, nonviolent ideological, or nonviolent nonideological were content coded for several distinguishing characteristics. The results indicated that group type was predicted by the type of information presented, the difficulty of becoming a member, and the amount of freedom members had on discussion boards. These findings suggest that characteristics of violent ideological group websites can be used to distinguish them from websites of both nonviolent ideological and nonideological groups. This study also provides a demonstration of a research methodology that can be used to naturally observe ideological groups via an online setting.
TL;DR: A typology of players was devised to understand players' constructions of boundaries, and players' strategies against perceived stigma when moving their relationship offline were discussed.
Abstract: Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMOs) are spaces of socialization and relationship formation and maintenance. This qualitative study seeks to understand how MMO players delineate the boundary between play and life when it comes to their game-originated romance. A typology of players was devised to understand players' constructions of boundaries, and players' strategies against perceived stigma when moving their relationship offline were discussed. The findings call for a shift towards a more player-centric and pluralist conceptualization of the magic circle of play.
TL;DR: Analysis of public service broadcasting in Europe suggests that although public service broadcasters offer a wide variety of possibilities, encouraging audiences to take on more active roles, their role is still peripheral and complementary.
Abstract: This article analyses public service broadcasting in Europe, looking at public broadcasters' role as promoters of participative processes. Computer-mediated communication and studies rooted in mediated human interactivity are used to explore participative elements provided by digital technology, and how these can be incorporated into the news websites, through an empirical study of 5 case studies in the European market. The analysis is based on the methodology of content analysis with the goal of outlining the particularities of the participative elements implemented by each broadcaster and revealing the most common participative strategies. The findings suggest that although public service broadcasters offer a wide variety of possibilities, encouraging audiences to take on more active roles, their role is still peripheral and complementary.
TL;DR: It is argued that while minority languages are given an online voice by Unicode, the context is still one of western power.
Abstract: This paper examines the technologies that enable the representation of Hebrew on websites. Hebrew is written from right to left and in non-Latin characters, issues shared by a number of languages which seem to be converging on a shared solution—Unicode. Regarding the case of Hebrew, I show how competing solutions have given way to one dominant technology. I link processes in the Israeli context with broader questions about the ‘multilingual Internet,’ asking whether the commonly accepted solution for representing non-Latin texts on computer screens is an instance of cultural imperialism and convergence around a western artifact. It is argued that while minority languages are given an online voice by Unicode, the context is still one of western power.
TL;DR: The influence of perceived colocation and coaction is demonstrated and the applicability of social facilitation effects are extended by incorporating the concept of cognitive absorption in VWs.
Abstract: 3D virtual worlds (VWs) enable perception of others' presence and actions. However, it is unclear how this influences behaviors in group tasks. We study the influence of ‘perceived colocation’ and ‘perceived coaction’, on cognitive absorption, which in turn predicts participative behaviors. Perceived colocation and coaction are central to social facilitation effects, tested primarily in face-to-face settings. We use distraction-conflict theory to explain how these may occur in VWs. Results from a quasi-experiment in Second Life support our hypotheses. We demonstrate the influence of perceived colocation and coaction and extend the applicability of social facilitation effects by incorporating the concept of cognitive absorption in VWs. We conclude with suggestions for the use of VWs for decision-making tasks.
TL;DR: Using positioning theory and notions of stylization and performance, alternative orthographies posted in Spanish on a Peruvian radio station's website are examined, finding that commenters who used Spanish CMC orthography were less likely to support Hilaria Supa's own Quechua-influenced orthography, while commenters using a hyper-normative Spanish Orthography were more supportive of Supa.
Abstract: Using positioning theory and notions of stylization and performance, we examine alternative orthographies posted in Spanish on a Peruvian radio station's website. These posts were reactions to a published photo of Peruvian indigenous congresswoman Hilaria Supa's orthographic errors in notes she took during a congressional meeting. Contrary to our original assumptions, we find that commenters who used Spanish CMC orthography were less likely to support Hilaria Supa's own Quechua-influenced orthography, while commenters using a hyper-normative Spanish orthography were more supportive of Supa. We discuss possible reasons for this contradiction, with findings that contribute to a growing body of literature on CMC in non-English speaking environments and suggest new beliefs regarding the use of nonstandard Spanish orthographies in asynchronous CMC environments.