Organizational Colleagues, Media Richness, and Electronic Mail

The study investigated the effects of perceived media richness and social influences from organizational colleagues on the uses and assessments of electronic mail in a large research and development organization. A social network composed of an individual (ego), supervisor, and five close communication partners was used to model relational social influences. Responses reported by network members were incorporated into a structural equation system to predict each ego's perceptions, assessments, and usage of electronic mail. Survey data were supplemented by in-depth interviews. The study found: (a) Perceived electronic mail richness (1) varied across individuals and (2) covaried with relational social influences and with media experience factors; (b) perceived electronic mail richness predicted individuals' electronic mail assessments and usage; (c) social influences of colleagues had pervasive effects on others' media assessments. The study demonstrated that an explicit consideration of social influences aids understanding of how individuals perceive and use new information technology.