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Investigating the Effects of Social Influence on the Choice to Telework

Author

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  • Darren M Scott

    (TransLAB (Transportation Research Lab), School of Geography and Earth Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada)

  • Ivy Dam

    (Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada)

  • Antonio Páez
  • Robert D Wilton

Abstract

This paper contributes to the telework literature by investigating empirically the impact of social influence on the decision to telework. An innovative web-based telework survey was developed and used to obtain data from a sample of employees of a large postsecondary institution in Ontario, Canada, between January and March 2009. A unique feature of the survey instrument is that it allowed employees to easily construct their workplace social networks. Using a univariate (binary) probit model, we identify three mutually exclusive sources of social influence on the decision to telework: friends who telework, neighbors who telework, and colleagues at the workplace. With respect to colleagues, we find that the net impact of social influence is governed by both the composition and the size of an employee's workplace social network. Composition is captured by interacting telework status with relationship strength.

Suggested Citation

  • Darren M Scott & Ivy Dam & Antonio Páez & Robert D Wilton, 2012. "Investigating the Effects of Social Influence on the Choice to Telework," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 44(5), pages 1016-1031, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:44:y:2012:i:5:p:1016-1031
    DOI: 10.1068/a43223
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Eva Thulin & Bertil Vilhelmson & Martina Johansson, 2019. "New Telework, Time Pressure, and Time Use Control in Everyday Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Wang, Chih-Hao & Akar, Gulsah & Guldmann, Jean-Michel, 2015. "Do your neighbors affect your bicycling choice? A spatial probit model for bicycling to The Ohio State University," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 122-130.
    4. Pike, Susan & Lubell, Mark, 2018. "The conditional effects of social influence in transportation mode choice," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 2-10.
    5. Miller, Harvey J., 2013. "Beyond sharing: cultivating cooperative transportation systems through geographic information science," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 296-308.
    6. Maness, Michael & Cirillo, Cinzia & Dugundji, Elenna R., 2015. "Generalized behavioral framework for choice models of social influence: Behavioral and data concerns in travel behavior," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 137-150.
    7. Erik Elldér, 2019. "Who Is Eligible for Telework? Exploring the Fast-Growing Acceptance of and Ability to Telework in Sweden, 2005–2006 to 2011–2014," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-16, June.

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