Advance Search

Social communication networks and videoconferencing: Strategic management decisions in new organisational forms - the case of TELP

Strategic management decisions in new organisational forms - the case of TELP

Ian Saunderson
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Gideon de Wet
University of Fort Hare
Keywords:
Copyright and Licensing:
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Share:

How to Cite

Social communication networks and videoconferencing: Strategic management decisions in new organisational forms - the case of TELP. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 24(2), 105-132. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v24i2.1813
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC
  • Articles
  • Submited: October 24, 2022
  • Published: October 24, 2022

Abstract

This study examined new organisational environments and environmental variables
involved in the adoption and implementation of new communication technology. This
includes structures within the organisation and social communication networks. Social
communication networks determine the levels of the measurement of the processes
associated with managerial practices and policies regarding videoconferencing
implementation. Videoconferencing as a communication management tool should not only take into
account the numerous applications of videoconferencing, but also consider all the
implications for management. The study utilised focus group research, social network analysis and descriptive statistics
in the investigation of the manifestation of the above-mentioned variables in the Tertiary
Education Linkages Project (TELP), which is a linkage project between the Eastern Cape
Technikon and Texas Southern University. The study utilises triangulation for the
establishment of acceptable levels of reliability and validity. The data analysis revealed that videoconferencing facilitates organisational communication networks on the precondition that communication networks and the
communication environment are well managed. The nature of social networks reveals
that it will always be in existence where human interaction is present. However,
communication management strategies are indeed required to ensure that the quality
of information disseminated over the social network contributes to sound managerial
outcomes. It was furthermore established that communication management policies do
not necessarily affect individuals’ experiences of videoconferencing. However, as a
communication management tool, videoconferencing must be guided by effective
communication management policies and practices for the group to be effective.

pdf
pdf

Article Metrics Graph

Article Views | PDF Downloads
Chart Graph | Range Graph

References

  1. AHUJA, M.K. & CARLEY, K.M. 1998. Network structure in virtual organisations. Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, 3(4). June. [Web:] http://www.ascusc.org/jcmc/vol3/issue4/index [Date of access: 3 October 2001].
  2. AHUJA, M.K., GALETTA, D.F. & CARLEY, K.M. 1999. Individual Centrality in Virtual Design Groups: An Empirical Study. (Working Paper, Soar, University of Southern California). California, (Unpublished).
  3. ANON, 2002. Eastern Cape Technikon website. [Web:] http://www.tktech.ac.za [Date of access: 4 November 2002].
  4. ARNOLD, J., COOPER, C.L. & ROBERTSON, I.T. 1998. Work psychology: Understanding Behaviour in the Workplace. London: Prentice Hall.
  5. BARNIER, R. 2000. On Personal Networking. Information Executive, 4(10):7-8, Summer.
  6. BENGSSTON-TOPS, A. & HANSSON, L. 2001. Quantitative and Qualitative aspects of the social network in schizophrenic patients living in the community. Relationship to sociodemographic characteristics and clinical factors and subjective qualitative aspects. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, Autumn, 47(3):67-77. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Premier, Full display: http://wwwsa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 2 December 2002].
  7. https://doi.org/10.1177/002076400104700307 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/002076400104700307
  8. BURKHARDT, M. E. & BRASS, D. J. 1990. Changing Patterns or Patterns of Change: The effects of a change in technology on social network structure and power. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35(3):104-127. Spring.
  9. https://doi.org/10.2307/2393552 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2393552
  10. BURT, E. & TAYLOR, J.A. 2000. Information and Communication Technologies: Reshaping voluntary organisations? Nonprofit Management and Leadership, 11(2):131-140. March.
  11. https://doi.org/10.1002/nml.11201 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/nml.11201
  12. BUSEH, A.G. & MCELMURRY, B.J. 2002. Cultural and Gender issues related to HIV/AIDS prevention in rural Swaziland: A focus group analysis. Health Care for Women International, 23(3):173-184. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Premier, Full Display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 18 May 2003].
  13. https://doi.org/10.1080/073993302753429040 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/073993302753429040
  14. CATTERALL, M. & MACLARAN, P. 1997. Focus Group Data and Qualitative analysis programs: Coding the moving picture as well as the snapshots. Sociological Research Online, 2(1). [Web: http://www.socresonline.org.uk/socresonline/2/1/6.html] [Date of access: 18 May 2003].
  15. https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.67 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5153/sro.67
  16. COETZEE, M. 2001. What is videoconferencing? (Multimedia Presentation, TELKOM ISDN services). Pretoria. (Unpublished).
  17. CONTRACTOR, N.S., SEIBOLD, D.R. & HELLER, M.A. 1996. Interactional Influence in the Structuring of Media Use in Groups. Human Communication Research, 22(4):451-481. June.
  18. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1996.tb00375.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.1996.tb00375.x
  19. CONTRACTOR, N.S. & EISENBERG, E.M. 1990. Communication Networks and New Media in Organisations (In Fulk, J. & Stein, C. eds. Organisations and Communication Technology. California: Sage.
  20. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483325385.n7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781483325385.n7
  21. CZECK, R. 1995. Desktop videoconferencing: the benefits and disadvantages to communication. [Web:] http://ils.unc.edu/~czecr/papers/cscwpaper [Date of access: 26 June 1997].
  22. DANIELS, T.D., SPIKER, B.K. & PAPA, M.J. 1997. Perspectives on Organisational Communication. 4th ed. London: Brown & Benchmark.
  23. DESANCTIS, G. & FULK, J. 1999. Shaping Organisational Form: Communication, Connection and Community. eds. Thousand Oaks: Sage.
  24. DE WET, G.F. 1991. Communication and social structure in a rural Ciskei community: a network analysis. Johannesburg: Rand Afrikaans University (doctoral thesis).
  25. DE WET, G.F. 1995. Communication Network Analysis: An innovative way of conceptualising the dynamics of interpersonal communication in a development setting. Communicare, 14(1):1-29. Winter.
  26. DIAMOND, L. & ROBERTS, S. 1996. Effective Videoconferencing: Techniques for better business meetings. California: Crisp.
  27. DOREIAN, P. 2001. Causality in Social Network Analysis. Sociological methods and research, 30(1):81- 135. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Premier, Full Display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  28. https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124101030001005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0049124101030001005
  29. DURRINGTON, V.A, REPMAN, J & VALENTE, T.W. 2000. Using Social Network Analysis to examine the time of adoption of computer-related services among University faculty. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 33(1):16-28. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Premier, Full Display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  30. https://doi.org/10.1080/08886504.2000.10782297 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08886504.2000.10782297
  31. DUTTON, W.H. 1999. The Virtual Organisation: Tele Access in Business and Industry. (In DeSanctis, G. & Fulk, J. eds. Shaping organisational form: Communication, connection and community. Thousand Oaks: Sage. p. 233-272.)
  32. FISH, R.S., KRAUT, R.E., ROOT, R.W. & RICE, R.E. 1993. Video informal communication. Communications of the ACM, 36(1):48-61. June.
  33. https://doi.org/10.1145/151233.151237 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/151233.151237
  34. FORRESTER RESEARCH, 1997. The Forrester report: analysing the impact of new networks on the global 2000 - IP video give-away. [Web:] http://www.forrester.com [Date of access: 25 March 1997].
  35. FREEMAN, L.C. 1979. The Gatekeeper, Pair Dependency and Structural Centrality. Quality and Quantity, 14(1):585-592.
  36. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00184720 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00184720
  37. FREEMAN, L.C., ROEDER, D. & MULHOLLAND, R.R. 1979. Centrality in Social Networks: Experimental Results. Social Networks, 2(1):119 - 141.
  38. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8733(79)90002-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-8733(79)90002-9
  39. FULK, J. 1993. Social construction of communication technology. Academy of Management Journal, 36(5):921-950. June.
  40. https://doi.org/10.2307/256641 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/256641
  41. FULK, J. & BOYD, B. 1991. Emerging theories of communication in organisations. Journal of Management, 17(2):407-446. May.
  42. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700207 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700207
  43. FULK, J. & DESANCTIS, G. 1995. Electronic communication and changing organisational forms. Organisational Science, 6(4): 337-349. Winter.
  44. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.6.4.337 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.6.4.337
  45. FULK, J., SCHMITZ, J. & RYU, D. 1995. Cognitive elements in the social construction of communication technology. Management Communication Quarterly, 8(3):259 - 288. October.
  46. https://doi.org/10.1177/0893318995008003001 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0893318995008003001
  47. GATES, B. 1999. Business @ the speed of thought. Business Strategy Review, 10(2):11-19. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Elite, Full display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 16 August 2001].
  48. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8616.00097 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8616.00097
  49. GIDDENS, A. 1984. The construction of society: outline of the theory of structure. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  50. HAYTHORNTHWAITE, C. 2001. Exploring Multiplexity: Social Network Structures in a Computer-Supported Distance Learning Class. The Information Society, 17(3):211-226. July.
  51. https://doi.org/10.1080/01972240152493065 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01972240152493065
  52. HEATH, R.L. & BRYANT, J. 1992. Human Communication Theory and Research: Concepts, Contexts and Challenges. London: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  53. HEATHER, R.P. 1994. Future Focus Groups. American Demographics, 16(1):6. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Elite, Full Display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  54. HILL, J. 1999. Texas Southern University/ECT Linkage Brochure. [Web: http://www.tsu.edu] [Date of access: 23 April 2002].
  55. HOFFMAN, E.C. 2002. Information and Communications Technology, Virtual Offices and Telework. South African Journal of Information Management, 4(2), June. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Elite, Full display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 13 January 2003].
  56. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v4i2.158 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v4i2.158
  57. KATZ, D. & KAHN, R.L. 1966. The Social Psychology of Organisations. New York: Wiley.
  58. KELSEY, B.L. 2002. Managing in cyberspace: Strategies for developing high-performance virtual teams. [Web:] http://ryerson.ca/itm/research/researchers/Kelsey [Date of access: 19 March 2003].
  59. KOLODNY, H. 1996. New technology and the emerging organisational paradigm. Human Relations: 49(12),1457-1487. May.
  60. https://doi.org/10.1177/001872679604901201 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001872679604901201
  61. KREPS, G.L. 1990. Organisational communication: theory and practise. 2nd ed. N.Y: Longman.
  62. KRETSCHMER, H. 2002. Similarities and dissimilarities in co-authorship for well-ordered collaboration structures and production of scientific literature. Library Trends, 50(3), 474-499. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Premier, Full display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  63. KYDD, C.T. & FERRY, D.I. 1994. Managerial use of videoconferencing. Information and Management, 27(3):369-375. June.
  64. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-7206(94)90017-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-7206(94)90017-5
  65. LIGONS, C. & HARVEY, I. 2002. The continued professional development of academic staff at the ECT. (Internal circulation document, ECT/Texas Southern University.) Butterwoth. 32 p. (Unpublished).
  66. MACEVOY, B. & FREEMAN, L. 1987. Ucinet - A Microcomputer Package for Network Analysis. School of Social Sciences: University of Southern California.
  67. MARKUS, M.L. & ROBEY, D. 1988. Information technology and organisational change: casual structure in theory and research. Management Science, 34(5):583-598. June.
  68. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.34.5.583 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.34.5.583
  69. MONGE, P.R. & FULK, J. 1999. Communication technology for global network organisations (In DeSanctis, G. & Fulk, J. eds. Shaping organisational form: communication, connection and community. Thousand Oaks: Sage. p. 122 - 167.)
  70. MONGE, P.R., FULK, J., KALMAN, M.E., FLANAGIN, A.J., PARNASSA, C. & RUMSEY, S. 1998. Production of collective action in alliance based inter-organisational communication and information systems. Organisation Science, 9(3),411-436. March.
  71. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.9.3.411 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.9.3.411
  72. MOREL, B. & RAMANUJAM, R. 1999. Through the looking glass of complexity: the dynamics of organisations as adaptive and evolving systems. Organisation Science, 10(3), 278-294. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Elite, Full Display:http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  73. https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.10.3.278 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.10.3.278
  74. MOWSHOWITZ, A. 1997. On the Theory of Virtual Organisation. Systems Research Behavioural Sciences, 14(2):373 - 384.
  75. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1743(199711/12)14:6<373::AID-SRES131>3.0.CO;2-R DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-1743(199711/12)14:6<373::AID-SRES131>3.0.CO;2-R
  76. MWANGA, J.R. & MUGASHE, C.L. 1998. Experience from video-recorded focus group discussion on schistosomiases in Magu, Tanzania. Qualitative Health Research, 8(5):707-718. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Elite, Full Display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  77. https://doi.org/10.1177/104973239800800510 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/104973239800800510
  78. NUCIFORA, A. 2000. Online focus groups bring action to the desktop. Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, 19(3):66-68. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Elite, Full Display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  79. OLIVER, S. 2001. Public Relations Strategy. London: Kogan Page.
  80. PAPPAS, J.M. & WOOLDRIDGE, B. 2002. Social Networks and Strategic Knowledge: A study of strategic renewal from a mid-level perspective. Academy of Management Proceedings, p.1-6. [In EBSCOHost: Business Source Premier, full display:http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  81. https://doi.org/10.5465/apbpp.2002.7516498 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/apbpp.2002.7516498
  82. PARKER, A., CROSS, R. & WALSH, D. 2001. Improving collaboration with social network analysis. Knowledge management Review, 4(2):24-29. [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Premier, full display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  83. PICTUREPHONE, 1996. Picturephone faq's. [Web:] http://picturephone.com/p51_00.html [Date of access: 13 Sept. 1996].
  84. PICTURETEL, 1997. Picturetel home page. [Web:] http://www.picturetel.com [Date of access: 13 March 1997].
  85. RICE, R. 1987. Computer mediated communication and organisational innovation. Journal of Communication, 37(4):65 - 85. October.
  86. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1987.tb01009.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.1987.tb01009.x
  87. ROCKHART, J.F. 1996. Rethinking the role of IT. Lecture notes from a paper delivered at Anglovaal, 21st Feb. 1996. 56 Main Street, Johannesburg (Unpublished).
  88. ROCKHART, J.F. 1998. Towards survivability of communication - intensive new organisational forms. Journal of Management Studies, 35(4):417-421 July.
  89. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00101 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6486.00101
  90. ROGERS, E. & ARGAWALA-ROGERS. 1978. Communication Networks in Organisations. Free Press, Macmillan: New York.
  91. ROSEN, E. 1996. Personal videoconferencing. [Web:] http://www.browsebooks.com/Rosen/index.htm [Date of access: 29 March 1997].
  92. SCHULZ, M.S. 1998. Collective action across borders: opportunity structures, network capacities and Communicative praxis in the age of advanced globalisation. Sociological Perspectives, 41(3): 587-616. June.
  93. https://doi.org/10.2307/1389565 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1389565
  94. SCOTT, J. 1991. Social Network Analysis. A Handbook. London: Sage.
  95. SCOTT, D. 1996. A pilot study of non-verbal cues in videotelecommunication. Psychological Reports, 78(1):555 - 561.
  96. https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1996.78.2.555 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1996.78.2.555
  97. SIMPSON, I.H. 1999. Historical patterns of workplace organisation: from mechanical to electronic and beyond. Current Sociology, 47(2):47-75. April.
  98. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392199047002005 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0011392199047002005
  99. SPROULL, L. & KIESLER, S. 1999. Connections: New ways of working in the networked organisation. London: MIT.
  100. STEPHENSON, K. 1998. The Invisible Hierarchy. Journal of Property Management, 63(6):10-11.
  101. STEPHENSON, K. 1998. Of Human Bonding. People Management, 4(21):54-56.
  102. TROCHUM, W.M.K. 2002. Descriptive statistics. [Web:] http://trochim.human.cornell.edu [Date of access: 25 November 2002].
  103. VERWEY, S., DU PLOOY-CILLIERS & DU PLESSIS, D. 2002. Communication by design: Networking or not working (In Verwey, S. & Du Plooy-Cilliers, F. eds. Strategic Organisational Communication: Paradigms and Paradoxes. Sandown: Heinemann. p. 23-62.)
  104. VTEL, 1997. VTEL mediaconferencing brochure. South Africa: OLSY.
  105. WEEKS, R. & LESSING, N. 2001. Convergence of emerging information technology and business practice in the digital economy. South African Journal of Information Management, 3(3). [In EBSCOHost: Academic Search Premier, full display: http://www-sa.ebsco.com] [Date of access: 2 October 2003].
  106. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v3i3/4.140 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajim.v3i3/4.140
  107. WEICK, K. 1979. The social psychology of organising. Reading: Addison-Wesley.
  108. WELLMAN, B. 1996. Computer networks as social networks. Annual Review of Sociology, 22(1):213-238.
  109. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.22.1.213 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.soc.22.1.213
  110. WHITTAKER, S. 1997. Video as technology for interpersonal communications: a new perspective. Lotus technical report. [Web:] http://www.lotus.com/research/217e.htm [Date of access: 26 June 1997].
  111. WILLIAMS, E. 1998. Predicting email effects in Organisations. [Web:] http://agents.www.media.mit.edu/groups/agents/projects/ [Date of access: 10 January 2001].
  112. YATES, J. & ORLIKOWSKI, W. 1992. Genres of organisational communication: a structurational approach to studying communication and media. Academy of Management Review, 17(2):299 - 326. May.
  113. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1992.4279545 DOI: https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1992.4279545
  114. ZACK, M.H. & MCKENNEY, J.L. 1999. Social Context and Interaction in Ongoing Computer-Supported Management Groups (In DeSanctis, G. & Fulk, J. eds. Shaping Organisational Form: Communication, Connection and Community. California: Sage. p. 429-488.)
  115. ZMUD, R.W., LIND, M.R. & YOUNG, F.W. 1990. An attribute space for organisational communication channels. Information Systems Research, 1(4): 440-457.
  116. https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.1.4.440 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/isre.1.4.440
How to Cite
Social communication networks and videoconferencing: Strategic management decisions in new organisational forms - the case of TELP. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 24(2), 105-132. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v24i2.1813

Send mail to Author

Send Cancel

Custom technologies based on your needs

  • ORCID
  • Crossref
  • PubMed
    • Clarivate