Extant communication theories predate the explosion of digital formats and technological advances such as virtual reality, which likely explains their predominant focus on traditional and format-level (e.g., face-to-face, email) rather than digital or characteristic-level (e.g., visual cues, synchronicity) design decisions. Firms thus lack insights into how to create and use emerging digital formats, individually or synergistically. To establish a holistic framework of bilateral multiformat communication for relationship marketing, this article reviews communication theory to establish a foundation for understanding multiformat communication and to identify any gaps (e.g., AI agents, simulated cues). The authors then review bilateral communication research in light of the identified theoretical gaps, to inform their framework. Finally, by decomposing these formats according to six fundamental characteristics, they predict how each characteristic might promote effective, efficient, and experiential communication goals, in light of distinct message, temporal, and dyadic factors. Ultimately, these combined insights reveal an overarching framework, with characteristic-level propositions grouped into five key themes, that can serve as a platform for academics and managers to develop multiformat communication theory and relationship strategies. Supplementary Information The online version of this article (10.1007/s11747-020-00750-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

中文翻译：

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多格式通信理论：机制、动态和策略

现存的传播理论早于数字格式和技术进步（例如虚拟现实）的爆炸式增长，这可能解释了他们主要关注传统和格式级别（例如，面对面、电子邮件）而不是数字或特征级别（例如，视觉提示、同步性）设计决策。因此，公司缺乏对如何单独或协同创建和使用新兴数字格式的洞察力。为了建立关系营销的双边多格式沟通的整体框架，本文回顾了沟通理论，为理解多格式沟通和识别任何差距（例如，人工智能代理、模拟线索）奠定了基础。然后，作者根据已确定的理论差距回顾了双边传播研究，为他们的框架提供信息。最后，通过根据六个基本特征分解这些格式，他们根据不同的信息、时间和二元因素预测每个特征如何促进有效、高效和体验式的交流目标。最终，这些综合见解揭示了一个总体框架，将特征级命题分为五个关键主题，可以作为学者和管理者开发多格式沟通理论和关系策略的平台。补充信息 本文的在线版本 (10.1007/s11747-020-00750-2) 包含补充材料，授权用户可以使用。根据不同的信息、时间和二元因素。最终，这些综合见解揭示了一个总体框架，将特征级命题分为五个关键主题，可以作为学者和管理者开发多格式沟通理论和关系策略的平台。补充信息 本文的在线版本 (10.1007/s11747-020-00750-2) 包含补充材料，授权用户可以使用。根据不同的信息、时间和二元因素。最终，这些综合见解揭示了一个总体框架，将特征级命题分为五个关键主题，可以作为学者和管理者开发多格式沟通理论和关系策略的平台。补充信息 本文的在线版本 (10.1007/s11747-020-00750-2) 包含补充材料，授权用户可以使用。