Vuorovaikutusteknologia työyhteisössä : teknologiavälitteinen vuorovaikutus virtuaalitiimeissä ja työyhteisön sosiaalisessa mediassa

Abstract

Communication technologies have become an inseparable part of organizational communication. Various platforms enable and make visible communication processes in both organization-wide settings and in groups and teams. By centering research focus on communication, rather than merely platform features, studies are able to gain knowledge about communication phenomena, mechanisms, and processes that transfer across platform boundaries. Through these kinds of frameworks, studies can participate in an ongoing scientific discussion and create valuable insights for practitioners utilizing communication technology. The aim of this dissertation is to further understand and define the meanings connected to communication technologies as well as the qualities of technology-mediated interaction in the workplace. This study was conducted in the contexts of virtual teams and enterprise social media (ESM). This article-based dissertation consists of four independent, albeit aptly framed, research articles. The findings were achieved through qualitative analysis of a set of rigorous empirical data consisting of a) observational data from eight meetings of four separate virtual teams and b) interviews with 49 knowledge workers. This dissertation draws from the theoretical frameworks of frame analysis, privacy management, technology affordances, and social capital. The findings portray communication technology as a meaningful shared space where workers are able to display emotions, share information, and expand their relational networks. Conversely, employees tend to view these platforms as having not only various possibilities but also constraints that challenge the prevailing assumption of the relational impact of “social” technologies (such as ESM). Technological communication environments do entail aspects that somewhat shape technology-mediated communication. However, communication is not determined or defined by the technological context, as technology-related meanings are negotiated and created through communication. Technology-mediated communication reflects the organization and its members more than it does the platform features. Thus, communication technologies are neither miraculous cure-alls nor corrupting destructive forces. These findings highlight the importance of focusing on questions of communication when examining technology-mediated organizational settings.