E-MAIL USE AND USEFULNESS: THE EFFECT OF MEDIA RICHNESS AND SOCIAL INFLUENCES
ROSMIZA BIDIN
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication,
43400 Serdang
Tel:+6013-2065004 Fax: +603-89485950 E-mail: rosmiza@putra.upm.edu.my
EZHAR TAMAM
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication,
43400 Serdang.
Tel:+603898663 Fax: +603-89485950 E-mail: ezhar@fbmk.upm.edu.my
SITI HAJAR AHMAD
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication,
43400 Serdang
Tel:+6013-2065004 Fax: +603-89485950 E-mail: cthajarahmad.86@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
According to the perspectives of social constructivist, communication technology is not objective
but a joint product of technological features and social interaction. This study is therefore tried to
determine whether media richness perception, medium expertise factors and social influence
factors do influence e-mail use and assessment behavior. The population of the study consisted of
academic and non-academic staffs in one public university in Malaysia. This study used survey
method (self-administered questionnaire) to collect data. The results showed that (1) the
relationship between media (e-mail) richness perception and e-mail use and usefulness perception
was significant, (2) keyboard skills was significant antecedent to media (e-mail) richness
perception, and (3) social influences from co-workers and supervisors contributed significantly
towards e-mail use and usefulness assessments of their peers. As a conclusion, it is crucial to
consider both technological features and social interaction in planning, implementing and
maintaining the use of communication technology in organization.
Key words: media richness; social influence model of technology use; e-mail use; and e-mail usefulness perception