The complexity of richness: Media, message, and communication outcomes

• Published in: Information & management Vol. 45; no. 1; pp. 21 - 30
• Main Authors: Otondo, Robert F., Van Scotter, James R., Allen, David G., Palvia, Prashant
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 2008; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Communication; Communication theory; Computer science; control theory; systems; Computer systems and distributed systems. User interface; Exact sciences and technology; Experimental design; Firm modelling; Information management; Information richness; Mathematics; Media richness; Media richness theory; Multimedia communications; Operational research and scientific management; Operational research. Management science; Probability and statistics; Sciences and techniques of general use; Software; Statistics; Studies; Media richness theory; Communication theory; Information richness; Multimedia; Information communication; Experimental design; World wide web; Richness; Firm management; Internet; Multimedia communication; Modeling
• ISSN: 0378-7206; 1872-7530
• DOI: 10.1016/j.im.2007.09.003

Dynamic web-based multimedia communication has been increasingly used in organizations, necessitating a better understanding of how it affects their outcomes. We investigated factor structures and relationships involving media and information richness and communication outcomes using an experimental design. We found that these multimedia contexts were best explained by models with multiple fine-grained constructs rather than those based on one- or two-dimensions. Also, media richness theory poorly predicted relationships involving these constructs.