Life and death of new technology: Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium

Robert E. Kraut; Ronald E. Rice; Colleen Cool; Robert S. Fish

doi:10.1145/192844.192858

Life and death of new technology: Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium

Robert E. Kraut, Ronald E. Rice, Colleen Cool, Robert S. Fish

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

This field experiment investigates individual, structural and social influences on the use of two video telephone systems. One system flourished, while an equivalent system died. We use a time series design and multiple data sources to test media richness theory, critical mass theory, and social influence theories about new media use. Results show that the fit between tasks and features of the communications medium influences use to a degree, but cannot explain why only one system survived. Critical mass-the numbers of people one can reach on a system-and social influence-the norms that grow up around a new medium-can explain this phenomenon.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery, Inc
Pages	13-21
Number of pages	9
ISBN (Electronic)	0897916891, 9780897916899
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/192844.192858
State	Published - Oct 22 1994
Externally published	Yes
Event	1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994 - Chapel Hill, United States Duration: Oct 22 1994 → Oct 26 1994

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994

Conference

Conference	1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994
Country/Territory	United States
City	Chapel Hill
Period	10/22/94 → 10/26/94

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Computer Networks and Communications

Access to Document

10.1145/192844.192858

Cite this

Kraut, R. E., Rice, R. E., Cool, C., & Fish, R. S. (1994). Life and death of new technology: Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium. In Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994 (pp. 13-21). (Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994). Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1145/192844.192858

Kraut, Robert E. ; Rice, Ronald E. ; Cool, Colleen et al. / Life and death of new technology : Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium. Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 1994. pp. 13-21 (Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994).

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title = "Life and death of new technology: Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium",

abstract = "This field experiment investigates individual, structural and social influences on the use of two video telephone systems. One system flourished, while an equivalent system died. We use a time series design and multiple data sources to test media richness theory, critical mass theory, and social influence theories about new media use. Results show that the fit between tasks and features of the communications medium influences use to a degree, but cannot explain why only one system survived. Critical mass-the numbers of people one can reach on a system-and social influence-the norms that grow up around a new medium-can explain this phenomenon.",

author = "Kraut, {Robert E.} and Rice, {Ronald E.} and Colleen Cool and Fish, {Robert S.}",

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doi = "10.1145/192844.192858",

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Kraut, RE, Rice, RE, Cool, C & Fish, RS 1994, Life and death of new technology: Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium. in Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994. Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994, Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, pp. 13-21, 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994, Chapel Hill, United States, 10/22/94. https://doi.org/10.1145/192844.192858

Life and death of new technology: Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium. / Kraut, Robert E.; Rice, Ronald E.; Cool, Colleen et al.
Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc, 1994. p. 13-21 (Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

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Kraut RE, Rice RE, Cool C, Fish RS. Life and death of new technology: Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium. In Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994. Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. 1994. p. 13-21. (Proceedings of the 1994 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW 1994). doi: 10.1145/192844.192858

Life and death of new technology: Task, utility and social influences on the use of a communication medium

Abstract

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