Investigating the Moderators of the Group Support Systems Use with Meta-Analysis.

Author List: Dennis, Alan R.; Wixom, Barbara H.;
Journal of Management Information Systems, 2001, Volume 18, Issue 3, Page 235-257.
This paper presents a meta-analysis that investigates five moderators (task, tool, the type of group, the size of the group, and facilitation) and their influences on the overall effects of group support systems (GSS). Results show that process satisfaction is higher for idea-generation tasks than for decision-making tasks. The GSS tool (that is, the use of level 1 or level 2 GSS) influences decision quality. Level 1 tools support the exchange of information, whereas, level 2 tools are designed to aid in decision-making. Decision quality is higher when using level 2 tools, however, there is no difference in the number of ideas generated when using level 1 or level 2 tools. Decision quality is lower for virtual teams, but there is no difference in the number of ideas generated between virtual teams and face-to-face teams using GSS. Group size is an important moderator when measuring decision time and satisfaction with process. The former is shorter for larger groups, and the latter is higher for larger groups. Process facilitation leads to higher decision quality and higher satisfaction with the process. These results illustrate the importance of examining the moderators of GSS use and the viability of conducting a meta-analysis to investigate a large body of research with seemingly conflicting or equivocal results.
Keywords: group support systems; groupware; meta-analysis
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List of Topics

#233 0.283 group gss support groups systems brainstorming research process electronic members results paper effects individual ebs using used anonymity ideas discussion
#254 0.172 level levels higher patterns activity results structures lower evolution significant analysis degree data discussed implications stable cluster exist relationships identify
#8 0.143 decision making decisions decision-making makers use quality improve performance managers process better results time managerial task significantly help indicate maker
#209 0.140 results study research information studies relationship size variables previous variable examining dependent increases empirical variance accounting independent demonstrate important addition
#295 0.099 task fit tasks performance cognitive theory using support type comprehension tools tool effects effect matching types theories modification working time
#296 0.057 collaboration support collaborative facilitation gss process processes technology group organizations engineering groupware facilitators use work tool address practitioners focused develop
#87 0.056 team teams virtual members communication distributed performance global role task cognition develop technology involved time individual's affects project geographically individuals