Direction, Function, and Signature in Electronic Mail

Abstract

The present study performed a content analysis on 157 electronic mail files received over the course of several months by a middle level manager in a computer services department of a large organization. The mail was coded and analyzed according to the direction of the communication through the hierarchy of the organization, the communication function of the mail, and whether or not the mail contained a redundant signature. Significant differences were found (chi-square=45.40, p< .001) in the communication function according to the direction of the communication. Vertical mail was more restricted in function than horizontally directed mail and was used primarily to exchange information. The presence or absence of a signature in the mail reflected the direction mail was sent through the organizational hierarchy. Subordinates and others signed mail signiftcantly more often than superiors (chi-square=18.62, p<.001).The present results describe the communication functions and paralanguage found in electronic mail in one organization. Based on these results, the impact of electronic mail use upon the organizational communication system is discussed.

Openings and closings in Spanish email conversations

“…In this respect, prior findings have been contradictory. On the one hand, Sherblom (1988) found power and status to have an influence on the use of a closing mechanism while, on the other, Waldvogel (2007) obtained different results regarding the influence of status. Status affected the data differently, depending on the setting: status played a role in the educational organisation but not in the manufacturing plant, and this was attributed to the different workplace cultures underlying communication.…”

“…The works of Sherblom (1988), Waldvogel (2007), Pérez Sabater et al (2008) and Bou Franch (2006, among others, show the interplay of structural and stylistic features in email openings and closings. On the one hand, Sherblom (1988) examined the influence of social position within a hierarchy on the use of signatures in a corpus of emails received by a manager in a large business organisation.…”

“…On the one hand, Sherblom (1988) examined the influence of social position within a hierarchy on the use of signatures in a corpus of emails received by a manager in a large business organisation. The data showed that none of the messages sent down the hierarchy was signed while over a third of messages sent to superiors contained signatures, which led Sherblom (1998) to conclude that signature use reflects and builds power relations.…”

Relational Communication in Computer-Mediated Interaction

“…Imperatives), Compliance-seeking (Millar & Rogers, 1976;Rogers & Farace, 1975) Redundant signature (Sherblom, 1988) SIMILARITY IDEPTH First person plural, private symbols, verbal shortcuts (Knapp, 1984) Self-dlsclosure (J. *Vulnerability pattern Is the combined frequencies 0' the times actors have put themselves In a position of vulnerability to another; a vulnerable position Is one In which outcomes are controlled by the other, and outcomes are potentially less rewarding than the actor's costs.…”

Análisis Contrastivo De Las Variaciones Lingüísticas Y Culturales en La Comunicación Digital Entre Hablantes No Nativos

“…Se estudian los e-mails recibidos y enviados por el equipo de directores del departamento tecnológico en una de las divisiones holandesas de una gran multinacional. Otros estudios que se han llevado a cabo sobre la comunicación entre empresas a través del e-mail como género de comunicación organizativa son los de Sproull & Kiesler (1986), Sherblom (1988), Markus (1994), Koeleman (1995), Ku (1996) y Volkema y Niederman (1996.…”