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Informal Communication in Organizations: . . . (1990)
| Citations: | 47 - 2 self |
BibTeX
@MISC{Kraut90informalcommunication,
author = {Robert E. Kraut and Robert S. Fish and Robert W. Root and Barbara L. Chalfonte and I S. Oskamp and Robert E. Kraut and Robert S. Fish and Robert W. Root and Barbara L. Chalfonte},
title = {Informal Communication in Organizations: . . .},
year = {1990}
}
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Abstract
coordination. This paper uses a variety of data from R & D organizations to describe informal communication and its functions in organizations. It argues that informal communication, generally mediated by physical proximity, is crucial for coordination to occur. Informal communication is frequent in R&D organizations, it aids organizational members in learning about each other and their work, it supports both production work and the social relations that underlie it, and it provides a critical facility that collaborators rely on to start joint work, maintain it, and drive it to conclusion. Without informal communication, many collaborations would undoubtedly not occur and others would break up before becoming successful. In this light we present two telecommunication systems designed to support informal communication through artificial proximity. The VideoWindow system is a wide-screen video teleconferencing system continuously linking public places, and Cruiser is a switched, desk-top video communications system that implements a metaphor of a virtual hallway. Both systems have the potential to support informal communication, but experience with the VideoWindow and analysis of Cruiser suggest that careful attention to implementation detail will determine if they are successful. Informal Communication in Organizations: Form, Function, and Technology Most of the work that people do in organizations requires some degree of active cooperation and communication with others. This is true of routine clerical work, it is equally true of creative work, like scientific research or engineering development. Indeed, in some scientific fields over 65% of publications are jointly authored (Over, 1982), and most research projects, regardless of authorship, require support staffs of cl...
Keyphrases
informal communication desk-top video communication system artificial proximity engineering development research project active cooperation social relation creative work routine clerical work many collaboration implementation detail videowindow system support staff joint work scientific field virtual hallway organizational member telecommunication system careful attention production work scientific research physical proximity public place critical facility wide-screen video
