In this opinion paper, we argue that global health crises are also information crises. Using as an example the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic, (a) examine challenges associated with what term "global crises"; (b) recommend changes needed for field of science to play a leading role in such crises; and (c) propose actionable items short- long-term research, education, practice science.

This study expands crisis message strategies to include those used communicate technical details and examines them across multiple new media. A content analysis of blogs, Web sites, news articles, press releases from the 2007 pet food recall reveals that when stakeholders affected by desire emotional support—most frequently found in blogs—they do not any types explanations their messages. Yet they want rectification—assurance will happen again—they use more elaborate forms translation...

Low health literacy remains an extremely common and problematic issue, given that individuals with lower are more likely to experience challenges negative outcomes. In this study, we use the first three stages of innovation-decision process found in theory diffusion innovations (Rogers, 2003). We incorporate into a model explaining how perceived knowledge, information sharing, attitudes, behavior related. Results show sharing explains 33% variance behavioral intentions, indicating...

Uncertainty is at the forefront of many crises, disasters, and emergencies, COVID-19 pandemic no different in this regard. In forum, we, as a group organizational communication scholars currently living North America, engage sensemaking sensegiving around to help process share some academic uncertainties opportunities relevant scholars. We begin by reflexively making sense our own experiences with adjusting new ways working during onset pandemic, including uncomfortable realizations...

This study focused on patient portal use and investigated whether aesthetic evaluations of portals function are antecedent variables to in the Technology Acceptance Model.A cross-sectional survey current users (N = 333) was conducted online. Participants completed Visual Aesthetics Website Inventory, along with items measuring perceived ease (PEU), usefulness (PU), behavioral intentions (BIs) portal.The hypothesized model accounted for 29% variance BIs portal, 46% PU portal's PEU....

This study relies on information theory, social presence, and source credibility to uncover what best helps people grasp the urgency of an emergency. We surveyed a random sample 1,318 organizational members who received multiple notifications about large-scale found that 3 redundant messages coming through at least 1 synchronous communication source—for example, phone or face-to-face communication—perceived situation most quickly, whereas those receiving official asynchronous channels—most...

This study offers a thematic analysis of the advice from sample bestselling popular press books on subject communication during implementation organizational change. uncovered themes concerning communicative role change agents, general strategies for communicating and introducing change, tactics Themes within each these categories are presented discussed in terms their prevalence character. Implications how practitioners can make best use this it compares to empirical findings scholarly...

This study explores message strategies that are used by organizations during crises involve technical details. Using the literature, authors develop an integrative coding scheme builds on Coombs' crisis-message-strategy typology. In addition, a parallel set of called translation strategies. content analysis, analyzed 154 accounts representing 10 different crises. The findings suggest crisis-message to communicate stakeholders. also indicate when details discussed, rarely go beyond attempt...

Past research on information and communication technology (ICT) use has largely assumed that people only one ICT per task. Yet completing a task often requires mix of ICTs used over time. succession theory argues by examining the modalities—for example, auditory, visual, textual—found in today, we can predict how to follow-up or successive complete tasks efficiently effectively. The six propositions form core this make predictions linking types use. Using complementary modalities should help...

Meetings serve an important function in organizational communication. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have infiltrated meetings allowed a new range of communicative behaviors to emerge. This cross-organizational study relies on key elements the social influence model predict variables that engagement electronic meeting multitasking behaviors. The observation norms perceptions others' thoughts concerning use ICTs for during explain considerable amount variance how...

This study reconceptualizes communication overload and builds a theoretical foundation to understand how this phenomenon applies in contemporary life. We build theory by relying on past research using Q-method capture the subjective perspectives of people who experience overload. In our refinement abstract concept, we identified seven dimensions composing The included: compromising message quality, having many distractions, information technologies, pressuring for decisions, feeling...

Construction is a dynamic sociotechnical process, consisting of ongoing interdependencies between people and the built environment. Accordingly, finding solutions to construction challenges when they arise requires understanding interactions social technical factors. Over past three decades, qualitative methods have been increasingly applied in engineering management (CEM) research understand within this industry. However, there remains lack resources CEM literature on method selection...

Abstract A severe winter storm in February 2021 impacted multiple infrastructure systems Texas, leaving over 13 million people without electricity and/or water, potentially $100 billion economic damages, and almost 250 lives lost. While the entire state was by temperatures up to 10 °C colder than expected for this time of year, as well levels snow ice accumulation not observed decades, responses outcomes from communities were inconsistent exacerbated prevailing social inequities that are...

In February 2021, Winter Storm Uri left 11 million people in Texas without power, caused widespread water outages, and inflicted billions of dollars damage. While the severity this event was primarily by electricity generator failures, it made worse decisions utilities state regulators before, during, after event. This study seeks to (1) evaluate procedures electric during Uri, (2) provide a set recommendations improve resilience energy systems preparation for future extreme weather events....

Scholars have researched organizational identification extensively in recent years. Only occasionally, however, has this research examined multiple targets simultaneously and almost never it variations that occur as individuals interact with others during different activities. The reported here draws on Scott, Corman, Cheney's (1998) communicative model of situated to investigate various across three communication-based situations. Situated scores based communication partner target were...

Abstract Out-of-classroom communication (OCC) in the form of email has increased considerably past few years. This study uses Interaction Adaptation Theory (IAT) to inform and frame impact using overly casual messages with instructors. Study one used an experimental method determine that message quality (casual vs. formal messages) accounted for between 48% 64% variance explained affect toward student, student credibility, attitude. Message also significantly impacted on instructor's...

This study examines the impact of using different sequences information and communication technologies (ICTs) to deliver repeated messages in context an interpersonal influence attempt. Supporting portions ICT succession theory (Stephens, 2007), findings suggest that, compared same ICT, complementary ICTs a message increases perceptions effectiveness behavioral intentions. A path model was tested further explore use.The results that use functions by mitigating overload and, turn, increasing...

Using social media during natural disasters has become commonplace globally. In the U.S., public platforms are often a go-to because people believe: 9-1-1 system becomes overloaded emergencies and that first responders will see their posts. While requests may help save lives, these posts difficult to find there is more noise on than clear signals of who needs help. This study compares human-coded images posted 2017's Hurricane Harvey machine-learned ‘deep learning’ classification methods....

Most prior media use research has assumed that people information and communication technologies (ICTs) independently of other ICTs, is, as discrete media. This study uses cross-organizational, in-depth interview data to uncover the important role ICT sequences play in persuasion, exchange, documentation. The primary occasions for sequential were (a) preparing meetings, (b) performing daily tasks, (c) following up persuade. When need follow initial episodes, overall groupings ICTs represent...

People are increasingly using their mobile devices to multitask and carry on multiple conversations in organizations. This study contributes the growing work multicommunication—communication practices involving technology where people conduct multiple, nearly simultaneous conversations. Through quantification of communicative behaviors involved practice multicommunicating, this helps operationalize construct and, by refining measurement, directly theory development. The resulting model...

Abstract Researchers have established the prominent role digital volunteers play during crises and disasters. From self‐organizing to annotating public data, these are now a fixture in disaster research. However, we know much less about how function, behind scene, when using private social media as unfolds people need be rescued. This qualitative study identified emergent helping roles along with skillsets abilities that helped perform behind‐the‐scene Hurricane Harvey flooding 2017. Using...