Date of Award

5-24-2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Specialization

Communication and Leadership

School or Department

School of Leadership Studies

First Advisor

Dr. John Caputo

Second Advisor

Dr. Kipp Preble

Abstract

Internal social media networks have become an effective knowledge-sharing computermediated communication channel for employees within organizations. In a business environment that requires employees to do more with less resources, work in geographically diverse locations and come together quickly for organizational needs, online channels are an accessible and inexpensive way to accomplish goals. Employees are considered the most important audience for an organization and are considered equal in value to investors and external customers. But employees need meaning behind their work for long-term satisfaction. Viktor Frankl, a Jewish psychiatrist and neurologist, survived the Holocaust and experienced the responsibility of living a life that was something greater than the self. He wrote when a person possessed high meaning in their lives, they were more likely to help others in need. This philosophy transcends well into the current workplace. Employees deserve a trusting, open and collaborative workplace in order for them to give themselves more freely to their organization. This thesis explores whether these networks contribute to a team environment and how technology or human patterns make the difference for team success. This study is grounded in multiple theories, including media richness, organizational social capital and community of practice, and utilized a quantitative meta-analysis to determine themes of existing research. Three themes emerged from the analysis: virtual teams spend much of their energy on re-adjusting behaviors rather than the actual work, online internal social media networks are effective for knowledge-sharing, but pose a challenging environment for team-building, and rules and structure are necessary for team success. The analysis shows a need for more study on the true role of internal social media within organizations and how virtual teams can be successful within these unique environments.

Comments

All rights reserved.

Download

Share

COinS