Impact of ComputerMediated Communication Characteristics on Information Acquisition

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Impact of Computer-Mediated Communication
Characteristics on Information Acquisition
Favorability of Attitudes toward the Navy

• David Allen, Ph.D.
• Robert Otondo, Ph.D.
• Mitzi Pitts, Ph.D.
• Jim Van Scotter, Ph.D

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Agenda

• Introduction
• Theory
• Methodologies
• Progress Report
• Conclusions Acknowledgements

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Introduction

• Communication effectiveness and recruitment
  success
• Media-recruiting task fit is critical
• Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) media have
  powerful but untested capabilities
• Current project examines extent to which CMC
  media characteristics affect communication and
  recruitment-related outcomes

Theory
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Theory

• Integrated model of CMC characteristics,
  communication outcomes, and decision-making
  processes
• Theories of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior
  (Azjen Fishbein, 1980 Ajzen, 1991)
• Genre/structurational theories (Yates
  Orlikowski, 1992)

Model
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Theory
Theories of Reasoned Action Planned Behavior
Genre theory
Methodologies
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Methodologies

• Computer-mediated communication is complex
• Complexity complementary use of four
  research designs
• Role-playing Experiment
• Verbal Protocol
• Eye-tracking
• Judgments by IT/IS Experts

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Methodologies

• Job Search Task Experiment
• To gain population-level understanding of CMC
  phenomena
• Quantitative data/analysis
• Web sites used
• US Navy
• 37 Fortune 500 companies

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Methodologies

• Job Search Task Experiment

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Methodologies

• Verbal Protocol
• To gain deeper insight into cognitive factors of
  web site analysis
• Qualitative data/analysis

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Methodologies

• Verbal Protocol

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Methodologies

• Eye-tracking Experiment
• To gain better understanding of
  physiological-level phenomena
• Quantitative data/analysis
• Equipment purchased through previous ONR grant(s)

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Methodologies

• Eye-tracking Experiment

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Methodologies

• Judgments by IS/IT Experts
• To gain understanding of objective phenomena in
  web site pool
• Characteristics of expert sample differs from
  role-playing sample
• Graduate students in second Systems Analysis
  course
• Evaluate content design from professional
  standpoint

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Progress Report

• Data collected initial data analysis complete
• Accepted Work
• Differences in Perceptions of Web Site
  Characteristics by IT Experts and Non-Experts
  (Accepted at AMCIS 2002)
• Work-in-Progress
• Recruiting via CMC
• Confirmatory Factor Analysis
• Influence of Content Design on Web Site
  Effectiveness
• Personality Factors in CMC Effectiveness

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Conclusions Acknowledgements

• Few research conclusions data analysis just
  beginning
• Use of computer-based survey instruments very
  efficient
• Reduced data-entry time expense
• Increased accuracy

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• Questions???