Purpose

This study aims to examine some of the benefits and drawbacks of communication visibility. Specifically, building on communication visibility theory, the authors study how and why message transparency and network translucence may increase knowledge reuse and perceived overload through behavioral responses of vicarious learning and technology-assisted supplemental work.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on survey data obtained from 1,127 employees of a global company operating in the industrial machinery sector, the authors used structural equation modeling to test the hypothesized model.

Findings

The results demonstrate that the two aspects of communication visibility yield somewhat differential benefits and drawbacks in terms of knowledge reuse and communication overload, through vicarious learning and supplemental work practices.

Research limitations/implications

The results demonstrate the relationship between different aspects of communication visibility and knowledge reuse, specifically through vicarious learning. Furthermore, the findings highlight a potential drawback of visibility – communication overload – specifically through technology-assisted supplemental work. Overall, network translucence seems more beneficial compared to message transparency in terms of knowledge reuse and communication overload.

Originality/value

The study connects with recent work on communication visibility by distinguishing differential direct and indirect effects of message transparency and network translucence. It also extends this work by testing relationships between communication visibility and a potential drawback of visibility – communication overload – specifically through technology-assisted supplemental work.

中文翻译：

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沟通可见性的优缺点：从替代学习和补充工作到知识重用和超载

目的

本研究旨在检验通信可见性的一些优点和缺点。具体来说，基于通信可见性理论，作者研究了信息透明性和网络半透明性如何以及为什么通过替代学习和技术辅助补充工作的行为反应来增加知识重用和感知过载。

设计/方法/方法

作者利用从一家在工业机械领域运营的全球公司的 1,127 名员工获得的调查数据，使用结构方程模型来检验假设模型。

发现

结果表明，通过替代学习和补充工作实践，沟通可见性的两个方面在知识重用和沟通过载方面产生了一些不同的优点和缺点。

研究限制/影响

结果证明了沟通可见性和知识重用的不同方面之间的关系，特别是通过替代学习。此外，研究结果突出了可见性的一个潜在缺点——通信过载——特别是通过技术辅助的补充工作。总体而言，在知识重用和通信过载方面，网络半透明似乎比消息透明更有利。

原创性/价值

该研究通过区分消息透明性和网络半透明性的不同直接和间接影响，与最近关于通信可见性的工作联系起来。它还通过测试通信可见性和可见性的潜在缺点（通信过载）之间的关系来扩展这项工作，特别是通过技术辅助的补充工作。