MGT502 Business Communication - Digital Communication in Workplace

Annotated Bibliography

Mukherji, S., & Arora, N. (2017). Digital communication: easing operational outcomes in the workplace. Procedia computer science, 122, 1084-1091.

This article is written by highly respected authors and is published in a high-quality conference journal. This paper explores how virtual teams use digital communication via a case study. The case examines an organization using a cost-efficient digital communication mode, namely, the smartphone, in contact with Northern India's employees and stakeholders. The case is based on where an organization that works with teams across India to carry out time-bound projects seamlessly is very effective with digital communication. Many of the staff are not even highly trained. The different forms of digital communication are not practically competent. The only way to effectively manage works for suppliers and consumers at various sites is through the opportunity to use a smartphone. The Splash Advertising case demonstrates that digital communication is an interesting application for easing operational outcomes at work. Many companies in India, as in other countries, can replicate this pattern. This article and the case associated with this article seemed relevant to the topic as the world is currently moving towards virtual workplace setting and within that context the factor of digital communication is critical.

Zhang, X., & Venkatesh, V. (2013). Explaining employee job performance: The role of online and offline workplace communication networks. Mis Quarterly, 695-722.

This research article is written by highly respected authors in the field of information technology and communication with a backing up of a highly respectable journal this paper attempts to further develop our understanding of the impact of technology on the performance of employees. The author derives from the theory of social networks and examined in particular how network relations, which are conceptualized as direct and indirect links, influence job performance in online and offline communication networks. The research paper projects that the connections between workers in online and offline working communication networks are alternate ways of communicating to impact their job achievements. The paper is limited to social networks as a platform for digital communication, further platforms and tools are not explored in this exam. This article provides an overall view as to how offline and online communication platforms affect the workplace and job performance. 

Ewing, M., Men, L. R., & O’Neil, J. (2019). Using Social Media to Engage Employees: Insights from Internal Communication Managers. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 13(2), 110-132.

The reputed authors explore the importance of internal social networks based on staff involvement, which is described as staff connected to the corporate values and purpose, inspired, strength, passion and discretionary work and advocacy. The research also talks about risks to safety and privacy which are identified as critical concerns for organisations, their employees and clients. The results confirmed the role of social media to engage employees in increasingly digital organizational environments today, despite recognized risks and challenges such as management fears that employees from different generations and the nature of their work are losing control and penetrating. Interviewees from a communication perspective have highlighted the importance of value alignment and purpose, meaning and role of strategic communication in defining employee commitment. The limitation of paper is that it is only exploring the medium of social media and with a limited number of samples, yet the analysis has a direct link to the topic in discussion.

Quan-Haase, A., Cothrel, J., & Wellman, B. (2005). Instant messaging for collaboration: A case study of a high-tech firm. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 10(4), JCMC10413.

The research paper presented by these reputed authors explored the use of instant messaging in a high-tech company shows how knowledge workers can work with colleagues using this new working tool. Objectives include identifying collaborative practices of people in the media work environment through instant messaging, discerning social processes in the employee's use of instant messaging and examining the way three factors supporting social processes— visibility, awareness, and accountability — are used in an instant messaging system. The digital medium of communication is used extensively for work-related communication due to its nature of being quick and easy to use, though it may seem an informal medium of communication it still is an effective way of communication where any informal conversation was found to be the secondary purpose. The research is limited to an instant messaging platform and should be analysed in a broader framework to have more significant results.