Title: Optimising e-mail communication: the impact of seminar- and computer-based training

Authors: Thomas W. Jackson, Sharman Lichtenstein

Addresses: Department of Information Science, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK. ' Deakin University, 221 Burwood Highway, Burwood, VIC 3125, Australia

Abstract: Employees continue to report multifarious e-mail concerns (|e-mail defects|) including ambiguous unclear messages, e-mail overload, security and privacy issues, and e-mail interruptions. These defects have an effect on employee efficiency and effectiveness. This paper explores the importance of identifying e-mail defects and the effectiveness of training employees in efficient use of e-mail at four UK organisations, using Seminar-Based Training (SBT) and Computer-Based Training (CBT) delivery modes. The findings suggest that SBT has a diminishing impact over a very short period of time, but a combined approach of SBT and CBT is more effective and provides better results.

Keywords: e-mail communications; SBT; seminar-based training; CBT; computer-based training; workplace communication; email costs; emails; employee effectiveness; employee efficiency; email defects; UK; United Kingdom.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIEM.2011.039915

International Journal of Internet and Enterprise Management, 2011 Vol.7 No.2, pp.197 - 216

Published online: 25 Apr 2015 *

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