Working from Home During Covid-19: Doing and Managing Technology-enabled Social Interaction With Colleagues at a Distance

2023 | Information Systems Frontiers | Citations: 0

Authors: Lal, Banita; Dwivedi, Yogesh K.; Haag, Markus

Abstract: With the overnight growth in Working from Home (WFH) owing to the pandemic, orga ... Expand

Abstract: With the overnight growth in Working from Home (WFH) owing to the pandemic, organisations and their employees have had to adapt work-related processes and practices quickly with a huge reliance upon technology. Everyday activities such as social interactions with colleagues must therefore be reconsidered. Existing literature emphasises that social interactions, typically conducted in the traditional workplace, are a fundamental feature of social life and shape employees’ experience of work. This experience is completely removed for many employees due to the pandemic and, presently, there is a lack of knowledge on how individuals maintain social interactions with colleagues via technology when working from home. Given that a lack of social interaction can lead to social isolation and other negative repercussions, this study aims to contribute to the existing body of literature on remote working by highlighting employees’ experiences and practices around social interaction with colleagues. This study takes an interpretivist and qualitative approach utilising the diary-keeping technique to collect data from twenty-nine individuals who had started to work from home on a full-time basis as a result of the pandemic. The study explores how participants conduct social interactions using different technology platforms and how such interactions are embedded in their working lives. The findings highlight the difficulty in maintaining social interactions via technology such as the absence of cues and emotional intelligence, as well as highlighting numerous other factors such as job uncertainty, increased workloads and heavy usage of technology that affect their work lives. The study also highlights that despite the negative experiences relating to working from home, some participants are apprehensive about returning to work in the traditional office place where social interactions may actually be perceived as a distraction. The main contribution of our study is to highlight that a variety of perceptions and feelings of how work has changed via an increased use of digital media while working from home exists and that organisations need to be aware of these differences so that they can be managed in a contextualised manner, thus increasing both the efficiency and effectiveness of working from home. Collapse

Topics: remote work IT supported collaboration pandemic information system use spreadsheet

Methods: diary study survey qualitative interview theoretical contribution

From Virtual to Physical: An Exploratory Study on how Online Social Networks and Communities Influence Decision-Making in Everyday Crafting

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Lee, L.; Ocepek, M.

Abstract: The popularity of the maker movement has prompted extensive research on how the ... Expand

Abstract: The popularity of the maker movement has prompted extensive research on how the maker spirit enhances learning and redefines entrepreneurism. However, what is left unknown is the dynamic process of making as a hobby and how it may cut across virtual and physical media. To seal this gap, we conducted a qualitative study to investigate how online social networks and communities (OSNCs) may play a role in influencing making-related decisions. We carried out diary studies and semi-structured individual interviews with 25 arts and crafts hobbyists. The findings show that YouTube and Pinterest are the top two mentioned sources to facilitate ideation about what to make. Participants mostly turned to YouTube and Reddit to address problems when getting stuck. We demonstrate the direct and close relationship between tangible making and OSNCs as a multidimensional source, showing how virtual user-generated content can impact everyday hands-on practices. Collapse

Topics: YouTube decision making social network online community Pinterest

Methods: qualitative interview diary study triangulation personal interview qualitative content analysis

Theories: social practice theory

Feedback on Shopping Receipt Data Through a Mobile App: A Pilot Study

2023 | HICSS | Citations: 0

Authors: Lurz, M.; Esterbauer, A.; Böhm, M.; Krcmar, H.

Abstract: Mobile applications have become popular tools for supporting healthy nutrition ... Expand

Abstract: Mobile applications have become popular tools for supporting healthy nutrition behavior. Current tools are primarily based on the detailed tracking of a user's direct consumption, thus intervening only during or even after a user has eaten something. With increasing home office hours (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic), people are eating more often at home, which has also led to a decrease in fruit and vegetable consumption. Therefore, we aim to support people in the food-shopping process. We suggest a mobile application that helps people reflect on their purchases and tries to nudge users toward healthier product choices. We conducted a pilot study with 31 participants who used the application for two consecutive weeks. During this time, we observed a decrease in the caloric values per 100 g of purchases. Furthermore, we collected positive feedback on the app regarding acceptance, usability, and user experience. Collapse

Topics: mobile application usability database system mobile health website

Methods: design artifact descriptive statistic survey usability testing design science

The Role of ICT Permeability on Work and Family Outcomes When Working from Home

2023 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Sundrup, Rui; Ahuja, Manju; Magni, Massimo

Abstract: This study develops and presents a framework that assesses the impact of inform ... Expand

Abstract: This study develops and presents a framework that assesses the impact of information and communication technology (ICT) permeability on work and family outcomes among dual-career couples who live together and work from home (WFH). As these couples depend heavily on ICTs to coordinate work, family responsibilities, and communication with each other, they can face cognitive and emotional limitations. Our model suggests that the level of ICT permeability in WFH situations is positively related to ICT fatigue, which can lead to negative family outcomes. Moreover, we investigate the effect of ICT permeability on positive work outcomes through goal progress. Using a 10-day diary approach with dualcareer couples in live-in partnerships, we provide robust empirical evidence that supports our model. Our findings contribute to the existing literature on WFH, which has been facilitated using advanced ICTs. Collapse

Topics: IT career technostress

Methods: diary study

How do Organizations react to Unintended Affordances? An Ethnography in Healthcare

2023 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Vollenberg, Carolin; Plattfaut, Ralf; Coners, André

Abstract: When organizations implement information technology (IT) artifacts, they focus ... Expand

Abstract: When organizations implement information technology (IT) artifacts, they focus on intended functionalities. Misalignment between processes and organizational or individual goals can lead to unintended work practices. Users may actualize affordances that the artifact designer did not intend. As such, there is a potential tension between the goals users must achieve, the technology's features and the organization's policies. Organizations must respond to unintended affordances in regulated industries such as healthcare to ensure compliance. Understanding how organizations react to unintended affordances provides insights into individual and organizational behavior concerning the adoption and assimilation of IT artifacts. Organizations need guidance on responding to unintended affordances in specific situations. Therefore, this real-world ethnographical study seeks to identify organizational reactions to unintended affordances. Collapse

Topics: affordance authorization user experience data quality

Methods: qualitative interview grounded theory ethnography qualitative coding participant observation

Theories: theory of affordance

How Deep is your Work? The Day-to-Day Effects of Information and Communication Technology Use on Deep Work of Employees

2022 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Brust, Leona; Hartwich, Nicole; Breidbach, Christoph; Antons, David

Abstract: Prior empirical work provides contradictory findings on the consequences of inf ... Expand

Abstract: Prior empirical work provides contradictory findings on the consequences of information and communication technologies (ICT) use at work, indicating both positive and negative consequences for employees. Integrating insights from the deep work framework with flow literature and cognitive load theory, we build and test a dynamic theoretical model to explain these contradictory findings. We move the research perspectives of ICT use and deep work to a dynamic perspective and investigate day-to-day changes in ICT use and deep work on the within-person level. The results of our quantitative diary study (n=387) provide evidence that technical ICT use has a positive effect on deep work whereas social ICT use has an inverted U-shaped relationship with deep work. The effects of social and technical ICT use on deep work depend on workplace telepressure, work experience, and knowledge intensity of work. Collapse

Topics: information system use anonymity knowledge work individual characteristic communication service infrastructure

Methods: diary study survey descriptive statistic theory development regression analysis method

Theories: cognitive load theory

Better or Worse: Responding to Problematic Engagement with Social Media Influencers

2022 | International Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 0

Authors: Farivar, Samira; Wang, Fang; Turel, Ofir

Abstract: Social media influencers endeavour to attract, retain, and engage their followe ... Expand

Abstract: Social media influencers endeavour to attract, retain, and engage their followers, which drives a prevalent issue of problematic engagement of followers. However, scant research has examined followers' problematic engagement with influencers, and little is known about how followers may respond to their problematic engagement. In this study, we propose a research framework to fill this gap. Drawing from coping theory, we propose that three facets of problematic engagement (cognitive, affective, and behavioral) would lead to followers' coping responses (emotion-focused and problemfocused) via the mediation of followers' situational appraisal (perceived threat). Moreover, we suggest that two key factors in social media influencing, i.e., social identification with influencers and perceived opinion leadership, would moderate the effect of perceived threat on followers' coping responses. Two waves of online survey will be conducted to test the hypotheses. Results will provide useful insights to social media users as well as influencers. Collapse

Topics: social media Instagram

Methods: diary study survey structural equation modeling SEM tool statistical hypothesis test

Digital assemblages, information infrastructures, and mobile knowledge work

2022 | Journal of Information Technology | Citations: 3

Authors: Jarrahi, Mohammad Hossein; Sawyer, Steve; Erickson, Ingrid

Abstract: We theorize mobile knowledge workers' uses of digital and material resources in ... Expand

Abstract: We theorize mobile knowledge workers' uses of digital and material resources in support of their working practices. We do so to advance current conceptualizations of both "information infrastructures" and "digital assemblages" as elements of contemporary knowledge work. We focus on mobile knowledge workers as they are (increasingly) self-employed (e.g., as freelancers, entrepreneurs, temporary workers, and contractors), competing for work, and collaborating with others: one likely future of work that we can study empirically. To pursue their work, mobile knowledge workers draw together collections of commodity digital technologies or digital assemblages (e.g., laptops, phones, public WiFi, cloud storage, and apps), relying on a reservoir of knowledge about new and emergent means to navigate this professional terrain. We find that digital assemblages are created and repurposed by workers in their infrastructuring practices and in response to mobility demands and technological environments. In their constitution, they are generative to both collaborative and organizational goals. Building from this, we theorize that digital assemblages, as individuated forms of information infrastructure, sustain stability and internal cohesion even as they allow for openness and generativity. Collapse

Topics: information technology infrastructure knowledge work mobile application wireless LAN information system use

Methods: qualitative interview diary study theory development survey qualitative coding

Theories: structuration theory

Towards a Digital Sleep Diary Standard

2022 | Americas Conference on Information Systems | Citations: 2

Authors: Schmitz, Lisa; Sveinbjarnarson, Bjarki Freyr; Gunnarsson, Guðni Nathan; Davíðsson, Ólafur; Davíðsson, Þór; Arnardottir, Erna; Óskarsdóttir, María; Islind, Anna Sigríður

Abstract: A sleep diary is an important tool to gather subjective sleep data, which provi ... Expand

Abstract: A sleep diary is an important tool to gather subjective sleep data, which provides key information for the diagnosis of a variety of sleep disorders. In 2012, an expert panel created a standardized sleep diary in penand-paper format. However, pen-and-paper has certain limitations, in particular, it is difficult to monitor participant compliance and memory bias. We improve upon these limitations with a digital design and identify benefits and drawbacks of the pen-and-paper format in comparison to a digital sleep diary in an empirical study based on an action design research project. The main contribution consists of five design guidelines: i) use the native environment, ii) utilize established input methods, iii) embed customization to minimize participant workload, iv) evaluate the application continuously using analytics, and v) integrate digital elements to increase compliance. Furthermore, we propose a mobile application design for a digital sleep diary that is in accordance with these guidelines. Collapse

Topics: mobile application usability systems design user experience Android

Methods: design artifact survey personal interview design guideline usability testing

The Food App is Watching You: The Relationship between Daily Algorithmic Control and Meaningful Work and the Role of Job Crafting

2022 | HICSS | Citations: 3

Authors: Verelst, Lorenz; De Cooman, Rein; Verbruggen, Marijke

Abstract: App work disrupted our traditional understanding of work as it introduced new te ... Expand

Abstract: App work disrupted our traditional understanding of work as it introduced new technologies, such as algorithmic control. Based on the job characteristics theory, we put forward an important drawback of algorithmic control and a practice that might mitigate it. We test whether algorithmic control obstructs experiences of meaningful work through a lack of motivating job characteristics and the buffering role of bottom-up work design (i.e. job crafting). We conduct a daily diary study among 51 Belgian food app workers and test within-person relationships. Results show that on days that app workers experience high algorithmic control, they perceive their work as less meaningful than on days with little algorithmic control. Although daily motivating job characteristics could not explain this negative relationship, we found job crafting to enable app workers in attaining motivating job characteristics and meaningful work. Thereby we emphasize the importance of both top-down and bottom-up work design in a strive for meaningful work. Collapse

Topics: mobile application task characteristic Uber digital taylorism Facebook

Methods: survey diary study descriptive statistic factor analysis regression analysis method

Theories: job characteristics theory organizational behavior theory