Date of Award
Winter 1-2015
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Organizational and Multicultural Communication
First Advisor
Dr. Kay Yoon
Second Advisor
Dr. Paul Booth
Third Advisor
Dr. Alexandra Murphy
Abstract
The study explores how internal social media platforms can help geographically dispersed colleagues become more connected, more collaborative, and more willing to share information. The study findings are based on the analysis of three social media/social networking community “teamsites” available online to three different groups within a global law firm: a Real Estate practice, a women’s affinity group, and a marketing department, in addition to interviews with six participants of such teamsites. Following an interpretive paradigm defined by Sarah Tracy (2013), this study considers Electronic Propinquity Theory, Media Richness Theory, and Social Information Processing Theory by evaluating social media as a communication medium for propinquity and self-disclosure. The findings demonstrate a correlation between heightened propinquity, self-disclosure, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among geographically dispersed teams using a shared teamsite platform.
Recommended Citation
Ramson-Herzing, Carmen, "THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS TO FOSTER CONNECTIONS, COLLABORATION, AND KNOWLEDGE SHARING AMONG GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED TEAMS" (2015). College of Communication Master of Arts Theses. 26.
https://via.library.depaul.edu/cmnt/26