Genre systems: Structuring interaction through communicative norms

TitelGenre systems: Structuring interaction through communicative norms
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2002
ForfattereYates, JoAnne, and Wanda Orlikowski
JournalJournal of Business Communication
Mængde39
Pagination13–35
Nøgleordcollaboration, digital media, genre, system, team, technology
Resume

In this paper we demonstrate that teams may use genre systems—sequences of interrelated communicative actions_deliberately or habitually, to structure their collaboration. Using data over a seven-month period from three teams' use of a collaborative electronic technology, Team Room, we illustrate that genre systems are a means of structuring six dimensions of communicative interaction: purpose (why), content (what), participants (who/m), form (how), time (when), and place (where). We suggest that researchers and users may benefit from explicitly recognizing the role genre systems can play in collaboration and from examining changes in these six dimensions accompanying changes in electronic technology.