Communication Challenges
A value network perspective
Key topics


The types of communication in the ITcentric environment
Perspectives on IT-related
communication



As a transaction
As a relationship
Active steps to design relationshipbased communication
The needs for effective
organizational communication









Globalization of business
Anytime, anywhere digital services
Distributed and mobile workforce
New computing and related devices
Outsourcing of IT activities
E-commerce (through integrative channels)
Automation of operations
Strategic use of IT for competitive advantage
The extended enterprise as a model for the firm
Three types of communication
in the IT-centric environment



User-machine communication
User-designer communication
IT unit-business unit communication
Transformation of
communication perspective


From the transactional perspective
to the relational perspective
c.f. the current philosophy of relationship
marketing
The transactional perspective
of IT-related communication




Focus: economic, engineering, efficiency,
effectiveness, cost & volume
User-machine: task efficiency/performance, userfriendliness, flexible interface
User-designer: efficient information
exchange/modeling, cognitive mapping, black-box
as a goal
IT unit-business unit: strategic alignment,
enterprise analysis, CSF analysis, standard
planning techniques
The relational perspective of
IT-related communication




Focus: social-psychological, humanistic, context of
the exchange, emotion, trust, learning, credibility
User-machine: HCI study, user engagement,
caring, contextualization, enjoyability,
entertainment value
User-designer: mutual understanding, sociotechnical design, joint development, role switching,
theatrical production of technology
IT unit-business unit: community development,
BPR, KM, On-line learning community
The foci of
transactional
communication
The foci of
relational
communication
Improving IT-related
communication

Describe the rhetorical vision for communication



Design communication experience with impression
management in mind



Specify the ideal parties, media, content, and context
Form a new genre of communication
Respect “views” that shape the user perceptions
Provide a good face and act to forming effective
relationships
Manage communication as a psychological
contract


Create credible promises and expectation
Develop the interaction catalyst
The dynamics of enterprise
communication







Pure exchange or active participation?
Query & response vs. open sharing pool
Distributive payoff vs. integrative payoff
Structural inducer & self-reorganization
The purpose of inverting vs. the purpose of
porting
Strong-tied relations vs. weak-tied relations
Politics among information gatekeepers
Extending readings



Allen, Thomas J. (1977), Managing the flow of technology :
technology transfer and the dissemination of technological
information within the R&D organization, MIT Press.
Bostrom, R. B. (1999), “Successful Application of
Communication Techniques to Improve the Systems
Development Process?” Information & Management, 16(5),
pp. 279-95.
Yates, J., W. J. Orlikowski, and K. Okamura (1999), “Explicit
and Implicit Structuring of Genres in Electronic
Communication: Reinforcement and Changes in Social
Interaction,” Organization Science, 10(1), pp.83-103.