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Work, friendship, and media use for information exchange in a networked organization

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  • Caroline Haythornthwaite
  • Barry Wellman

Abstract

We use a social network approach to examine how work and friendship ties in a university research group were associated with the kinds of media used for different kinds of information exchange. The use of electronic mail, unscheduled face‐to‐face encounters, and scheduled face‐to‐face meetings predominated for the exchange of six kinds of information: Receiving Work, Giving Work, Collaborative Writing, Computer Programming, Sociability, and Major Emotional Support. Few pairs used synchronous desktop videoconferencing or the telephone. E‐mail was used in similar ways as face‐to‐face communication. The more frequent the contact, the more “multiplex” the tie: A larger number of media was used to exchange a greater variety of information. The closeness of work ties and of friendship ties were each independently associated with more interaction: A greater frequency of communication, the exchange of more kinds of information, and the use of more media. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Suggested Citation

  • Caroline Haythornthwaite & Barry Wellman, 1998. "Work, friendship, and media use for information exchange in a networked organization," Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 49(12), pages 1101-1114.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jamest:v:49:y:1998:i:12:p:1101-1114
    DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4571(1998)49:123.0.CO;2-Z
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    Cited by:

    1. Alaina G. Kanfer & Caroline Haythornthwaite & Bertram C. Bruce & Geoffrey C. Bowker & Nicholas C. Burbules & Joseph F. Porac & James Wade, 2000. "Modeling Distributed Knowledge Processes in Next Generation Multidisciplinary Alliances," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 2(3), pages 317-331, October.
    2. Carol X. J. Ou & Robert M. Davison, 2016. "Shaping guanxi networks at work through instant messaging," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 67(5), pages 1153-1168, May.
    3. repec:dgr:rugsom:03b31 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Matošková Jana & Směšná Petra, 2017. "Human resource management practices stimulating knowledge sharing," Management & Marketing, Sciendo, vol. 12(4), pages 614-632, December.
    5. Silke Retzer & Pak Yoong & Val Hooper, 2012. "Inter-organisational knowledge transfer in social networks: A definition of intermediate ties," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 343-361, April.
    6. Nistor, Cristian, 2013. "A conceptual model for the use of social media in companies," MPRA Paper 44224, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Pei Yee Chin & Nina Evans & Charles Zhechao Liu & Kim-Kwang Raymond Choo, 2020. "Understanding Factors Influencing Employees’ Consumptive and Contributive Use of Enterprise Social Networks," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 1357-1376, December.
    8. Youmin Xi & Fangcheng Tang, 2004. "Multiplex Multi-Core Pattern of Network Organizations: An Exploratory Study," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 179-195, July.
    9. Humphrey, Stephen E. & Aime, Federico & Cushenbery, Lily & Hill, Aaron D. & Fairchild, Joshua, 2017. "Team conflict dynamics: Implications of a dyadic view of conflict for team performance," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 58-70.
    10. Franz Huber, 2012. "On the Sociospatial Dynamics of Personal Knowledge Networks: Formation, Maintenance, and Knowledge Interactions," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 44(2), pages 356-376, February.
    11. Bosch-Sijtsema, Petra M. & Rispens, Sonja, 2003. "Facilitating knowledge transfer in virtual teams through a social network approach," Research Report 03B31, University of Groningen, Research Institute SOM (Systems, Organisations and Management).
    12. Paul M. Leonardi, 2007. "Activating the Informational Capabilities of Information Technology for Organizational Change," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 18(5), pages 813-831, October.
    13. Paul Resnick & Eytan Adar & Cliff Lampe, 2015. "What Social Media Data We Are Missing and How to Get It," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 659(1), pages 192-206, May.
    14. Hisato Tashiro & Antonio Lau & Junichiro Mori & Nobuzumi Fujii & Yuya Kajikawa, 2012. "E-mail networks and leadership performance," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 63(3), pages 600-606, March.
    15. Ingrid Wakkee, 2006. "Mapping network development of international new ventures with the use of company e-mails," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 4(4), pages 191-208, December.
    16. Pei Yee Chin & Nina Evans & Charles Zhechao Liu & Kim-Kwang Raymond Choo, 0. "Understanding Factors Influencing Employees’ Consumptive and Contributive Use of Enterprise Social Networks," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 0, pages 1-20.
    17. Ahmed, Zafor, 2018. "Explaining the unpredictability: A social capital perspective on ICT intervention," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 175-186.

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