Reducing Status Effects with Computer-Mediated Communication: Evidence from Two Distinct National Cultures.

Author List: Tan, Bernard C. Y.; Wei, Kwok-Kee; Watson, Richard T.; Walczuch, Rita M.;

Journal of Management Information Systems, 1998, Volume 15, Issue 1, Page 119-141.

Matching laboratory experiments were conducted in two distinct national cultures to investigate whether computer-mediated communication (CMC) can reduce status effects during group communication in both national cultures. Three independent variables were studied: national culture (Singapore versus U.S.), task type (intellective versus preference), and communication medium (unsupported versus CMC). Three different facets of status effects were measured as dependent variables: status influence, sustained influence, and perceived influence. Singapore groups reported higher sustained influence than U.S. groups. Preference task groups experienced higher status influence and sustained influence than intellective task groups. Unsupported groups also had higher status influence and sustained influence compared to CMC groups. In addition, Singapore groups that completed the preference task in the unsupported setting reported higher perceived influence than groups under other treatments. These results demonstrate that CMC appears to be able to reduce status effects during group communication, both in Singapore and in the United States. This is especially true when groups are working on a preference task. Moreover, status influence appears to be more sustainable in Singapore groups, where group members appear to be more conscious of its presence, than in U.S. groups.

Keywords: communication medium; computer-mediated communication; national culture; status effects; task type

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#265	0.346	collaborative groups feedback group work collective individuals higher effects efficacy perceived tasks members environment writing experiment did task intelligence compared
#28	0.273	cultural culture differences cross-cultural states united status national cultures japanese studies japan influence comparison versus china participants country singapore diverse
#203	0.118	communication media computer-mediated e-mail richness electronic cmc mail medium message performance convergence used communications messages face-to-face findings participants results work
#9	0.090	using subjects results study experiment did conducted task time used experienced use preference experimental presented decision-making empirical significantly effects better
#51	0.082	results study research experiment experiments influence implications conducted laboratory field different indicate impact effectiveness future participants evidence test controlled involving
#209	0.052	results study research information studies relationship size variables previous variable examining dependent increases empirical variance accounting independent demonstrate important addition