Accession Number:

ADA288939

Title:

Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) and thc Communication of Technical Information in Aerospace. NASA/DoD Aerospace Knowledge Diffusion Research Project.

Descriptive Note:

Final contractor rept. no. 30,

Corporate Author:

STATE UNIV OF NEW YORK COLL OF TECHNOLOGY UTICA

Personal Author(s):

• Murphy, Daniel J.

Report Date:

1994-12-01

Pagination or Media Count:

285.0

Abstract:

This research used survey research to examine the use of communication media in general, and electronic media specifically, in the U.S. aerospace industry. The survey population included 1,006 randomly selected U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists who belong to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA. Survey data were compared with qualitative information obtained from 32 AIAA members in telephone and face-to-face conversations. The Information Processing IP model developed by Tushman and Nadler and Daft and Lengel constituted the studys theoretical basis. This research analyzed responses regarding communication methods of U.S. aerospace engineers and scientists who create, use, and disseminate aerospace knowledge and explored selected contextual environmental variables related to media use and effective performance. The results indicate that uncertainty is significantly reduced in environments when levels of analyzability are high. When uncertainty is high, there is significantly more use of electronic media. However, no relation was found between overall effectiveness and media use in environments stratified by levels by analyzability or equivocality. The results indicate modest support for the influences of uncertainty and analyzability on electronic media use. Although most respondents reported that electronic networks are important for their work, the data suggest that there are sharply disparate levels of use.

Descriptors:

• *COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS
• *COMMUNICATION AND RADIO SYSTEMS
• *INFORMATION PROCESSING
• REQUIREMENTS
• UNCERTAINTY
• INFORMATION TRANSFER
• ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
• AERONAUTICS
• AEROSPACE SYSTEMS
• SURVEYS
• COMPUTER NETWORKS
• AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
• VOICE COMMUNICATIONS
• ASTRONAUTICS

Subject Categories:

• Computer Systems
• Radio Communications
• Information Science

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE