Overview

Advances in information technology have allowed work groups to overcome distance and time barriers. However, the extent to which work groups can benefit from the use of information technology is likely to be contingent upon the characteristics of individuals, groups, tasks, and environments. To better understand how work groups can raise their effectiveness and efficiency with the aid of information technology, this project carries out in-depth studies on the process and outcome of technology-mediated group work. These results are assessed for stability by examining impact of information technology over time. By systematically studying the moderating effects of contingency variables, results of this project reveal the circumstances under which information technology is likely to benefit work groups.

Area of Focus

1. Examine how facilitation and leadership may moderate impact of group support systems on the effectiveness and efficiency of electronic work groups.

2. Examine how the fit between task type and communication medium may affect the effectiveness and efficiency of electronic work groups.

3. Assess how group support systems may alter the phenomenon of group polarization with various task types.
   
   
4. Assess how group support systems may alter the phenomenon of status differentials with various task types.

5. Investigate how lean (technology-mediated) communication media may facilitate exchange of rich information by work groups.

Sample Publications

1. Sia, C.L., Tan, B.C.Y. and Wei, K.K. "Group Polarization and Computer-Mediated Communication: Effects of Communication Cues, Social Presence, and Anonymity," Information Systems Research, 2002, Volume 13, Number 1, pp. 70-90.
   

2. Sia, C.L., Tan, B.C.Y. and Wei, K.K. "Can a Group Support System Stimulate Group Polarization? An Empirical Study," IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 1999, Volume 29, Number 2, pp. 227-237.
   
   
   
3. Tan, B.C.Y., Wei, K.K., Sia, C.L and Raman, K.S. "A Partial Test of the Task-Medium Fit Proposition in a Group Support System Environment," ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 1999, Volume 6, Number 1, pp. 47-66.
   
   
4. Tan, B.C.Y., Wei, K.K. and Watson, R.T. "The Equalizing Impact of a Group Support System on Status Differentials," ACM Transactions on Information Systems, 1999, Volume 17, Number 1, pp. 77-100.
   
   
   

5. Huang, W., Raman, K.S. and Wei, K.K. "Impact of Group Support System and Task Type on Social Influence in Small Groups," IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 1997, Volume 27, Number 5, pp. 578-587.