Kees Winters

Current position:
Recently Graduated

Thesis title:
How do reflection on media use and communication virtuality influence productivity, innovativeness, trust in colleagues, and trust in management?

Description:
"This thesis investigates how reflection on media use and communication virtuality influence productivity, innovativeness,trust in management and trust in colleagues. The prupose of this thesis is to get a better insight in the effects of reflection on media use and communication virtuality

A survey was used to answer the research questions. The results suggest that reflection on media use has a significant positive influence on productivity, innovativeness, and trust in colleagues. Reflectoin on media use did not have a significant positive effect on trust in management. Communication virtuality did not have a significant positive effect on productivity, innovativeness, or trust in colleagues, but communication virtuality did have a marginal significant effect on trust in management. Also, communication virtuality moderates the relationship between reflection on media use and trust in colleagues and trust in management.

This thesis shows that reflection on media use has a higher effect than the degree of communication virtuality. So, it becomes normal to work with virtual communication tools. Virtual communication tools exist for a reason. In order to solve today's communication problems caused by different physical location and time zones, virtual communication tools become indispensable. I argue that virtual communication is a necessity for today's employees; therefore it did not influence any dependent variable.

The results of this thesis show that reflection on media use has a significant positive effect on some variables. For managers and employees this is an interesting fact. With the concept of reflection on media use managers and employees have a tool they can use towards a positive effect (e.g. higher productivity). If people can do something useful with reflection on media use it may have more positive effects than only the effects explored in this thesis. For companies that are exploring "new ways of working", it could be interesting to further investigate the concept of reflection on media use. For example, if virtual communication increases in an organisation, it will be useful to give training about reflection on media use. Awareness of the medium used for a certain task may have various positive outcomes."

For the complete thesis, click here.