Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the social influence of frequent communication contacts as an antecedent to an individual's perceptions of electronic mail richness, usefulness, and frequency of use in the workplace. Methodology. Prior research by Fulk, Schmitz, and Ryu validated premises of social influence on communication. Stemmed largely from their methodology, the overall pursuit of this research effort was to contribute to the knowledge base on communication media selection. A survey was conducted by questionnaire of 240 managers of a communication services company. To capture the premises of social influence, respondents were asked to name their immediate supervisor and five close communication partners using all mediums of communication. Then, for each of these persons, respondents were asked to rate their perceptions of electronic mail usefulness. These results were then compared to the respondent's perceptions of electronic mail richness, usefulness, and use. The statistical methodology included an appraisal of the theoretical model as a whole. Using EQS, a structural equation modeling program, the goodness of fit was determined between the data collected from the sample and the hypotheses as a set. Findings and conclusions. The study found that the social influence of frequent communication contacts does effect an individual's perceptions of electronic mail richness and usefulness, but not use. Where media richness theory proposes that individuals should select the communication channel that best matches the equivocality of the task, social influence theory focuses on the social environment of the media selection. Recommendations. A greater understanding of what determines an individual's selection of one communication medium over another can help predict the success of new communication technology. The findings of this study suggest that the effects of electronic mail communication can be socially constructed. Surely, the rational choice perspective could be enhanced by incorporating social explanation into its approach of assessing media choice. The probability that management will realize their expectations of improved efficiency and effectiveness with new communication technologies will increase if they are cognizant that media selection is, in part, socially constructed.