Genre systems: Structuring interaction through communicative norms

TitoloGenre systems: Structuring interaction through communicative norms
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2002
AuthorsYates, JoAnne, and Wanda Orlikowski
JournalJournal of Business Communication
Volume39
Pagination13–35
Parole chiavecollaboration, digital media, genre, system, team, technology
Astratto

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.