New Computer-based Communication Technologies Essay -- Communication

Today’s organization has access to communications technology that only a few short decades ago would have seemed like science fiction. From mobile devices more powerful than the first personal computers to the ability to create a team that never physically meets and resides in different parts of the world, the possibilities are vast. The issue for the modern manager then, is not only to understand these underlying technologies and the possibilities they provide, but also to stay cognizant of the limitations of the technology. After all, the goal is to improve the efficiency and performance of the organization, not implement the latest shiny new toy. This essay seeks to explore these new computer-based communication technologies, understand their advantages and disadvantages, and to then define which communication methods are better suited to the various tasks that a manager may face. In this context, communication is defined as â€Å"The process by which a person, group or organization (the sender) transmits some type of information (the message) to another person, group or organization† (Hannagan & Bennett, 2008, p. 304). â€Å"New Computer-based Technologies† is defined as any communications medium that requires Information Technology (computers, data networks, etc) as its communication channel. To decide if a technology is an advantage or disadvantage to an organization, then, we must evaluate the technology against the norm, in this case communication methods that do not rely on Information Technology, such as face-to-face meetings, paper based communication and the humble telephone. Reading the above definition of the word â€Å"communication†, one could be forgiven for thinking that it is a straight forward process: the sender of th... ...-to-Face. Journal of Business Communication, 48(1), 54-82. doi: 10.1177/0021943610385656 Lo, S. K. (2008). The nonverbal communication functions of emoticons in computer-mediated communication. Cyberpsychology & behavior : the impact of the Internet, multimedia and virtual reality on behavior and society, 11(5), 595-597. doi: 10.1089/cpb.2007.0132 Taylor, T. (2011). Video conferencing vs talking face-to-face: is video suitable for supportive dialogue? International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 18(7). Thomas, G. F., Zolin, R., & Hartman, J. L. (2009). The Central Role of Communication in Developing Trust and Its Effect On Employee Involvement. Journal of Business Communication, 46(3), 287-310. doi: 10.1177/0021943609333522 Webster, J. (1998). Desktop Videoconferencing: Experiences of Complete Users, Wary Users, and Non-Users. MIS Quarterly(September).