media richness theory
TRANSCRIPT
Prepared by:
Mr. Artbie A. Samson
Media Richness Theory
Media Richness Theory
Media richness theory, sometimes referred
to as information richness theory, is a framework to
describe a communications medium by its ability to
reproduce the information sent over it. It was
developed by Richard L. Daft and Robert H. Lengel,
and is used to rank and evaluate the richness of
certain communication mediums, such as phone calls,
video conferencing, and email.
Background
Media richness theory was introduced in 1984 by
Richard L. Daft and Robert H. Lengel. It is used primarily
to describe and evaluate communication mediums
within organizations. It is based on
information processing theory and how managers and
organizations exchange information. The goal of media
richness theory is to cope with communication
challenges facing organizations, such as unclear or
confusing messages, or conflicting interpretations of
messages.
Explanatory diagram.
The most immediate and profound application of media
richness theory is for senders choosing a communication
medium. The theory implies that a sender can (and should) use
the richest possible medium to communicate the desired
message. In reality, senders are often forced to use less-rich
methods of communication. Senders that use less-rich
communication media should understand the limitations of that
medium in the dimensions of feedback, multiple cues, message
tailoring, and emotions. Take for example the relative difficulty
of determining whether a modern text message is serious or
sarcastic in tone.
Theory
Information richness is defined by Daft and
Lengel as "the ability of information to change
understanding within a time interval".
Communications that can overcome different
frames of reference and clarify ambiguous issues
to promote understanding in a timely manner are
considered more rich
Criticism
Media richness theory was criticized in the past
by what many researchers saw as its deterministic
nature. Markus argued that social pressures can
influence media use much more strongly than richness,
and in ways that are inconsistent with media richness
theory's key tenets. Ngwenyama and Lee showed that
cultural and social background influence media choice by
individuals in ways that are incompatible with predictions
based on media richness theory; their paper received the
Paper of the Year Award in the journal MIS Quarterly.
