Online Communication in Organizations Does Not Kill Distance: And Why That Might Be a Good Thing

Eveline Hage; Chee-Wee Tan

Online Communication in Organizations Does Not Kill Distance: And Why That Might Be a Good Thing

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Debates on the effects of online communication on distance within organizational networks have persisted within extant literature. Early contributions, which focus primarily on geographical distance, have highlighted the negative impact of distance on network evolution and sustenance, alluding to the importance of online communication as a means of nullifying these effects (Caimcross, 2001; Wellman, 2001). These studies have led to optimistic, but also premature, declarations of the ‘death of distance’ (Caimcross, 2001). More recent works however, have demonstrated that online networks are “to a significant part, digital reflections of pre-existing offline, local networks” (Hage & Noseleit, 2015, p. 4), emphasizing the relevance of distance to network formation. Not only do informal friendship networks have digital counterparts (Hage & Noseleit, 2015), the same can be said for other networks (Takhteyev, Gruzd & Wellman, 2012; Tranos & Nijkamp, 2013), especially that of organizational networks (Recker & Lekse, 2016).

Original language	English
Publication date	2016
Number of pages	6
Publication status	Published - 2016
Event	4th International Workshop on Changing Nature of Work with ICT (CNoW) - Dublin, Ireland Duration: 11 Dec 2016 → 11 Dec 2016 Conference number: 4 http://icis2016.aisnet.org/4th-international-workshop-changing-nature-work-ict-cnow/

Workshop

Workshop	4th International Workshop on Changing Nature of Work with ICT (CNoW)
Number	4
Country	Ireland
City	Dublin
Period	11/12/2016 → 11/12/2016
Internet address	http://icis2016.aisnet.org/4th-international-workshop-changing-nature-work-ict-cnow/

Cite this

@conference{75aa9401ec7e462a94e8d5c1481b4649,

title = "Online Communication in Organizations Does Not Kill Distance: And Why That Might Be a Good Thing",

abstract = "Debates on the effects of online communication on distance within organizational networks have persisted within extant literature. Early contributions, which focus primarily on geographical distance, have highlighted the negative impact of distance on network evolution and sustenance, alluding to the importance of online communication as a means of nullifying these effects (Caimcross, 2001; Wellman, 2001). These studies have led to optimistic, but also premature, declarations of the {\textquoteleft}death of distance{\textquoteright} (Caimcross, 2001). More recent works however, have demonstrated that online networks are “to a significant part, digital reflections of pre-existing offline, local networks” (Hage & Noseleit, 2015, p. 4), emphasizing the relevance of distance to network formation. Not only do informal friendship networks have digital counterparts (Hage & Noseleit, 2015), the same can be said for other networks (Takhteyev, Gruzd & Wellman, 2012; Tranos & Nijkamp, 2013), especially that of organizational networks (Recker & Lekse, 2016).",

author = "Eveline Hage and Chee-Wee Tan",

year = "2016",

language = "English",

note = "null ; Conference date: 11-12-2016 Through 11-12-2016",

url = "http://icis2016.aisnet.org/4th-international-workshop-changing-nature-work-ict-cnow/",

}

TY - CONF

T1 - Online Communication in Organizations Does Not Kill Distance

AU - Hage, Eveline

AU - Tan, Chee-Wee

N1 - Conference code: 4

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - Debates on the effects of online communication on distance within organizational networks have persisted within extant literature. Early contributions, which focus primarily on geographical distance, have highlighted the negative impact of distance on network evolution and sustenance, alluding to the importance of online communication as a means of nullifying these effects (Caimcross, 2001; Wellman, 2001). These studies have led to optimistic, but also premature, declarations of the ‘death of distance’ (Caimcross, 2001). More recent works however, have demonstrated that online networks are “to a significant part, digital reflections of pre-existing offline, local networks” (Hage & Noseleit, 2015, p. 4), emphasizing the relevance of distance to network formation. Not only do informal friendship networks have digital counterparts (Hage & Noseleit, 2015), the same can be said for other networks (Takhteyev, Gruzd & Wellman, 2012; Tranos & Nijkamp, 2013), especially that of organizational networks (Recker & Lekse, 2016).

AB - Debates on the effects of online communication on distance within organizational networks have persisted within extant literature. Early contributions, which focus primarily on geographical distance, have highlighted the negative impact of distance on network evolution and sustenance, alluding to the importance of online communication as a means of nullifying these effects (Caimcross, 2001; Wellman, 2001). These studies have led to optimistic, but also premature, declarations of the ‘death of distance’ (Caimcross, 2001). More recent works however, have demonstrated that online networks are “to a significant part, digital reflections of pre-existing offline, local networks” (Hage & Noseleit, 2015, p. 4), emphasizing the relevance of distance to network formation. Not only do informal friendship networks have digital counterparts (Hage & Noseleit, 2015), the same can be said for other networks (Takhteyev, Gruzd & Wellman, 2012; Tranos & Nijkamp, 2013), especially that of organizational networks (Recker & Lekse, 2016).

M3 - Paper

Y2 - 11 December 2016 through 11 December 2016

ER -