Transforming a Lean CMC Medium into a Rich One: An Empirical Investigation in Small Groups

Authors

Wei Huang, National University of Singapore
Kwok-Kee Wei, National University of Singapore and City University of Hong Kong
Richard Watson, University of Georgia
Lawrence Lim, National University of Singapore
Robert Bostrom, University of Georgia

Abstract

Media richness theory is a well known theory in media adoption and use. In recent years, it has gone through much empirical examination; however, some aspects of the theory still remain largely untested. In the current study, we investigated a core premise of the theory that there exists an inherent and fixed lean-rich continuum of communication media. Our results indicated that media richness was not inherent and fixed as assumed by media richness theory. Instead, with the social constructions shared among communicators, such as the shared group goals generated in this study, a lean CMC medium could be transformed into a rich one, so that rich information could be conveyed through this supposedly lean CMC medium.

Recommended Citation

Huang, Wei; Wei, Kwok-Kee; Watson, Richard; Lim, Lawrence; and Bostrom, Robert, "Transforming a Lean CMC Medium into a Rich One: An Empirical Investigation in Small Groups" (1996). ICIS 1996 Proceedings. 19.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis1996/19