Electronic communication versus face toface Dissertation

Electronic communication versus face toface - Dissertation Example Face-to-face meetings and interactions are declining as technological and communication tools advance. My first hypothesis is that the increased use of electronic media will diminish face-to-face communication and the effectiveness of communication will be compromised until new communication cultures emerge. My second hypothesis is that the issues of gender, race and culture will tend to be minimised as the message becomes paramount, and also that prejudices are no longer trigged by personal interactions. My third hypothesis is that the effectiveness of Computer Managed Communication (CMC) in many aspects is an age-related issue, and that a generational transformation to new communication methods is underway. In my final chapter, I will consider whether the literature and other parts of the study support these hypotheses. The conclusion will examine the implications of this for professional relationships in the field of international business and sales in particular. This will lead t o recommendations as to what action companies, organisations and individuals need to take to maximise the advantages conferred by CMC, while overcoming the problems identified. Also, I will discuss about how different cultures can effectively communicate with each other and understand each other better. Lastly, my methodology will look specifically at the hotel industry and how modern technology is starting to play a key role in the industry’s growth. I will do this through a questionnaire that will be distributed to a wide variety of hotels in the local area. TABLE OF CONTENTS Title page Page Abstract 1 Table of Contents 2 Introduction 3 Literature Review 4 Methodology 5 Appendices and Reference List 6 CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION a) Addressing the problem There can be no doubt that e-mail, teleconferencing and instant messaging have brought about a revolution in communication (Corbett, 2004). The benefits of these things are that they are immediate, cost-free and limitless. As i t is so easy and efficient, it is no surprise to find it becoming the norm in both business and social interactions. However, there are problems with these forms of communication. In particular, these difficulties are linked to the loss of interpersonal aspects in communication, and no technology has managed to overcome this problem yet. There is plenty of research to back up the assumption that talking with people, in other words face-to-face communication, is infinitely more effective than posting a message into the air and hoping that it will be read with the same level of commitment as the writer put into composing it. It is well-known that actual spoken words make up less than ten percent of a message (Evans, 2010, p.8). Spoken speech is far outweighed by non-linguistic cues such as tone and body language in particular. Because CMC is here to stay, it is important to address this question in order to avoid misunderstanding and ambiguity, maintain meaningful relationships (busin ess and personal), ensure that sales pitches are effective and pick up the nuances of interaction. b) Nature and purpose of this study The purpose of this study is to explore the issues that arise from this difficulty, to examine what steps we need to take to address them and avoid becoming trapped in a virtual world where all communication is done through impersonal media. The study will consist partly of a synthesis of some of the literature and findings of