Coordination structures and system restrictiveness in Distributed Group Support Systems

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-1-2002

Abstract

Most GSS research has studied the impact of restricting group interaction to GSS-prescribed coordination structures with face-to-face groups, while Distributed GSS (DGSS) has been largely ignored. Due to the nature of mediated communication in asynchronous interaction, it is relatively difficult to coordinate distributed groups, and a special coordination structure must be arranged to overcome these difficulties. This study examines the effects of system restrictiveness of coordination structures in an asynchronous environment. A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was designed with two independent variables - sequential vs. parallel coordination mode, and with vs. without a leader - to construct coordination structures with varying degrees of restrictiveness. The study finds that less restrictive coordination structures are more appropriate to support asynchronously interacting distributed groups. Objective decision quality is equal for both parallel and sequential coordination mode, but is significantly better with a group leader. Groups with parallel coordination mode have a stronger belief that the decisions they made are of higher quality than those of groups with sequential coordination mode. In groups with a leader, communication effectiveness is better. Satisfaction with a decision process is higher in parallel coordination groups and in groups with a leader. There is also a significant interaction effect. Satisfaction with the decision process is higher in sequential coordination groups with a leader than sequential coordination groups without a leader.

Identifier

0036390755 (Scopus)

Publication Title

Group Decision and Negotiation

External Full Text Location

https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020492305910

ISSN

09262644

First Page

379

Last Page

404

Issue

5

Volume

11

Grant

CISE-ITO9732354

Fund Ref

National Science Foundation

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