DMMarriott

Final Paper - Final Draft

2009-04-26T17:34:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION
With the continuing rise of digital convergence, leadership is becoming a more profound issue, “virtual teams, once a novelty, are increasingly common” because convergence is “transforming the way companies in virtually every industry find, connect with, and develop relationships…an unstoppable force that is transforming business of all kinds...driving expansion and growth in the information, communications, and entertainment (ICE) industry, bringing new opportunities for profit;” new innovations are necessary to formulate new means of gaining and sustaining a competitive edge (Wheelan, 2005, p. 363; KPMG International, 2008, pp. 5-7, 38 pdf; Kaluza, Bleckerr, Bischof, 1999, p.2). That is, changes in media’s structures due to “the emergence of digital technologies” as the main entity and method for “representing, storing, and communicating information” are calling for a new evaluation of leadership within this new digital context (Syracuse University Convergence Center, 2009, p. 1).
Additionally, globalization is increasing and expanding due to digital emergence, “innovations like the internet have made its possible to access information and resources across the world – and to coordinate activities in real time” (Smith and Smith, 2002, p. 4). According to Hutton and Giddens as cited by Smith and Smith (2002), it is the interaction of extraordinary technological innovation combined with world-wide reach that gives today’s change its particular complexion (p. 4). That is, “the spread and connectedness of production, communication and technologies across the world” is inclusive of the webbing of “economic and cultural activity” (Smith and Smith, 2002, p.1). The result of the growth of digital convergence and globalization has a direct impact on society’s cultural, social, technological and industrial foundations. This impact is reflected in the transformation and utilization of traditional medias (e.g., spoken word, written word, TV, Radio, etc.) in the digital context of the virtual world (e.g., the World Wide Web {blogging, fanforums, organizational teams, etc}, Internet, Blackberry’s, etc.).
Purpose Statement
The purpose of this paper is to explain the concept of leadership emergence cues, in the context of digital technologies. That is, the pattern and criteria considered by group members in the emergence process. This explanation will compare the virtual process with the traditional real world process. It will show that the concepts of, participatory culture, collective intelligence, and advancing technological culture, (WWW and Internet, etc.) experienced by and with the convergence process are experienced by organizations and virtual formed groups who have altered traditional leadership mergence cues to those of a cyber-based nature (computer, technological based) criteria while maintaining the traditional foundation of real world leadership emergence cues.
Importance of Paper
Although considerable research has been conducted on leadership emergence cues in the virtual context, it is important to take it to the next level, within the scope of the leadership emergence process comparing virtual teams and group process with the real world process. This will show the change in the traditional leadership emergence process to one of digital capability usage.
This next step in virtual leadership examination is important because, it is the “crucial differentiator” in determining mediocre and high performance is the development of leaders who can function in the virtual world (Caulat, G. 2006, p. 2). Leadership in the virtual context allows organizations and/or groups to determine and address the risks and challenges found in their digitally founded strategies for the operational, financial, technological, and communicative aspects of their performance (KPMG, 2008, p.38). It also allows them to function successfully in the new collective and participatory nature of the digitally driven market. The realization of the important role of virtual leadership and its emergence process, will allow for the dodging of “potential pitfalls” and lead to the “path to success in the digital world” (p. 5).

LITERATURE REVIEW
Real World Leadership Emergence
Much of the literature on real world leadership emergence is based on the ideology of role identification, “the process in which leaders are identified and accepted is a process of role identification” (Karriker, 2005). The concept of role identification plays itself out within the confines of team structure within organized entities. Katz & Kahn (1978) as cited by Joy Karriker (2005), define organizations as open systems consisting of roles that have an emphasis in two areas, “the contrived nature of human organizations, and the unique properties of a structure consisting of acts or events rather than unchanging physical components” (1). Karriker suggests that within the Katz & Kahn framework, “acts, behaviors, and events provide the structure of groups” and these are what substitute for an organizations physical hierarchy and create the “dynamic nature of a group or team (2005, p. 1). These formulated groups, according to Arrow & McGrath (1995) as cited in Karriker are a “system: a complex pattern of dynamic relations among a set of people (members) using a set of technologies to accomplish a set of purposes-in-common” (2005). Therefore, the foundational structure of a group is a patterned web of relations termed a “dynamic occurrence” and the emergence of leadership is “essential to, and occurs as part of, the development of a particular form of group, the autonomous team (Karriker, 2005). Once teams are formed, the combination of relations and situational aspects interact formulating the leadership emergence process; the individual chosen for the leadership role will emerge as “leader as the situation demands” (Karriker, 2005).
Along with perception connotations, these group/team roles and the expectations members of the group have of them, have correlated effects and influence on the group, “the expectations attached to roles can have a marked influence on group” (Meade, 2009, Chap. 5). The roles influence how and whom the group sees as leader, determine perceived level of power of an individual and can cause conflict for an individual if they hold several roles within several groups and they have conflict with each other (2009).
It is important to note, that group roles come in two types, the roles appointed by an organization, “formal roles” and the roles that concern themselves with the function of the group, “informal roles” and not all informal roles are apparent in every group except for the leader role, “no single informal role is found in all or even in most groups with the probable exception of leader” (Meade, 2009, Chap. 5). The informal and formal roles are separated into three types, task, and maintenance and disruptive. The task roles are roles that control productivity and movement toward completion of task and goals; the maintenance roles concern themselves with the social aspects of the group and maintaining “cohesiveness of the group;” disruptive roles are roles that reflect the “(Me-oriented)” attitude that shows itself in actions produced to specifically benefit oneself, “the central function is to focus on the individual” (2009). The chart provided by Lynn Meade (2009) is representative of an explanation of the individual functions of both formal and informal roles:

Types of Group Roles
Task Roles

Extract the maximum productivity from the group

Moves the group toward the attainment of its goals
Initiator-contributor-Offers lots of ideas and suggestions; proposes solutions and new directions
Information seeker- Requests clarification; solicits evidence; asks for suggestions and ideas from others.
Opinion Seeker- Requests viewpoints from other; looks for agreement and disagreement
Information Giver- Acts as a resource person for the group; provides relevant and significant information based on expertise or personal experience
Clarifier-Elaborator-Explains, expands, extends the ideas of others; provides examples and alternatives
Coordinator-Draws together ideas of others; shows relationships between facts and ideas; promotes teamwork and cooperation
Secretary-Recorder-Serves group memory function; takes minutes of the meetings; keeps group's records and history
Director-Keeps group on track-guides discussion; reminds group of goal, regulates group activities
Devil's advocate-Challenges prevailing point of view for the sake of argument in order to test and critically evaluate the strength of ideas, solutions, or decisions.
Maintenance Roles

Focus on the social dimension of the group

The central function is to
gain and maintain cohesiveness of the group
Supporter-Encourager-Bolsters the spirits and goodwill of the group; provides warmth, praise, and acceptance of others, includes reticent members in discussion
Harmonizaers-Tension reliever-Maintains the peace; reduces tension through humor and by reconciling differences between members.
Gatekeeper-Expediter-Controls channels of communication and the flow of information' encourages evenness of participation' promotes open discussion
Feeling-Expresser-Monitors feeling and moods of the group; suggestions discussion beaks when mood turns ugly or when energy levels lag.
Disruptive Roles

Serve individual needs or goals (Me-oriented) while impeding attainment of group goals.

The central function is to focus on the individual
Stagehog- Seeks recognition and attention by monopolizing conversation; prevents others from expressing their opinions fully; wants the spotlight
Isolate-Deserts the group; withdraws from participation; acts indifferent aloof; uninvolved; resists effort to be included in group decision making.
Clown-Engages in horseplay; thrives on practical jokes and comic routines; diverts members attention away from the serious discussion of ideas and issues; steps beyond the boundaries of mere tension reliever
Blocker- Thwarts progress of group; does not cooperate; opposes much of what the group attempts to accomplish; incessantly reintroduces dead issues makes negative remarks to members
Fighter-Controller-Tries to dominate group; competes with members; abuses those who disagree; picks quarrels with members; interrupts to interject own opinions into discussion.
Zealot -Tries to convert members to a pet cause or idea; delivers sermons to group on state of the world; exhibits fanaticism
Cynic-Displays sour outlook (a person who smells the flowers and looks around for a coffin)' engages in fault finding; focuses on negatives; predicts failure of group
Chart from: Lynn Meade Website, Small Group Home Page, COM 2503 Notes, Chapter, 5

All of these roles establish themselves in the leadership emergence process during which individuals are vying for ownership of the roles, “individuals initially make a bid to play a role;” individuals own the role when “group endorsement occurs . . . and the member settles into the role” (Meade, 2009, Chap. 5).
Concerning this leadership role, the emergence process in literature concerns itself mostly with the leadership role and the culmination of perceived notions of other members of the group, “historically, emergent leadership has been investigated by operationalizing the phenomenon as the extent to which an individual is perceived by others” (Anderson & Wanberg, 1991, p.1). Secondly, leader emergence is often determined by this vote of confidence from other members of the group as determined by the additional dynamics of “control parameters – asymmetry, bifurcation and bias” (Guastello, 2007, p.358). These control parameters according to Guastello (2007) were best presented within the concept of the Swallowtail Catastrophe Model; a model that distinguishes the asymmetry, bifurcation and bias parameters:
Indicator
Creative problem solving groups
Production groups
Coordination-intensive groups
Asymmetry

Bifurcation

Bias
General participation and control of the conversation incl. gatekeeping, initiating following, harmonizing facilitating the ideas of others, task orientation consideration of other players’ interests, concern for solution quality.

Giving information, creative ideas, competitive behavior concern for solution quality.

Unknown
Tension reduction incl. harmonizing, giving information, goal realism.

Creative and task control, controlling the conversation

Unknown
General participation and control of the conversation; incl. gatekeeping, initiating, following, creative ideas, facilitating the ideas of others.

Verbal vs. non-verbal working conditions

Task control
Summarized from Guastello (2005) and Guastello and Bond (2007) as cited in Guastello (2007, p.362).
According to Guastello’s application of the Swallowtail parameters, leadership emergence process is both conceptual and based on experience and observation where task and creative control within the situations determine a yes or no vote of confidence for individual as leader (2007, p. 366-367).
Another important aspect to the leadership emergence process is the first impression perceptions, (judgment of group behavior, personality, level of expertise, problem solving, skill of communication, non-verbal behaviors, etc.), that influence the parameters in each individual group situation; these perceptions show that the psychological thought process of all group members plays a role in leadership emergence, “first impressions indicate that different psychological variables were operating as control parameters in each type of situation” (Gaustello, 2007, p.366). These psychological variables manifest themselves in the application and search for traits of members of the group that signify leadership capability, “one recurrent themes, nonetheless, was that a thick constellation of characteristics or behaviors contributed to parameter” (p. 366). What this is saying is, those that emerge as leaders in the real world leadership emergent process are those individuals who are conceptualized by the rest of the group members to be individuals who are not afraid to speak, speak with clarity, provide valuable information for task, show support for the group, permeate presence of power in that they can produce or offer more than others, shows active involvement through participation, etc. “leadership involves a free exchange of information, ideas, and recommendations” and . . .those that “can be oriented towards others” . . .and “who express support kindness and sympathy” will be perceived as one who can lead (Anderson & Wanberg, 1991 p.8 of 11).
An additional and important part of this phenomenon to note is that many times members of a group and/or team call upon their prior experiences of the leadership emergence process to influence their perceptions; this adds a culturally-based variable to the already situational-based dynamic of the process, “members, who have seen leadership emerge in the past, and who bring their own set of culturally based expectations to the group, draw upon leader behaviors demonstrated in past emergence processes and cultural conditioning to shape their perceptions of current leader behaviors” (Karriker, 2005). Thus, the successful emerging leader will have been chosen not only on situation and perception criteria, but, cultural criteria as well, “the extent to which leaders emerge successfully is a factor of not just their traits, but also the applicability of those traits to the members’ situational and culturally based expectations” (2005).
After exploring literature on a conceptual basis it is important to examine literature for a leadership emergence on an operational level of group and/or team development as well. An examination of leadership emergence offered in an operational context through role identification by Joy Karriker (2005), is based on Bruce Tuckman’s revision of his 1965 team process model of the four development stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing of groups and/or teams, “revisiting of the original five-component (forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning) model in favor of the realm-based model that emphasizes only the storming, norming, and performing phases” (Tuckman & Jensen (1977) as cited by Karriker (2005) p. 1).
Role identification within the scope of the storming stage of group/team development (the struggle for place in the group through presentation of cues and position, “a role-sending and role-taking process, in which members attempt to influence each other based upon their expectations for the roles of the group” Katz & Kahn [1978] as cited by Karriker [2005]), occurs when individuals members begin to interpret the “expectations, actions, and reactions” of others in the group (Karriker, 2005). This stage of development is completed when the action of influencing for the acceptance, modification or rejection of expectations has ended and role designation of leader is completed, “in deciding whether to accept, attempt to modify, or reject others’ expectations, each member is influential in the designation of roles, including those of the leader” (2005).
The identification of role in the norming stage (the stage where consistency of behaviors is agreed upon by the group; the back and forth vying for power has ended) comes from the agreement of a collective set of member expectations for leader behavior is determined giving potential leaders a chance to react with leader role behaviors, “in the norming phase of the integrated model, as individual expectations are signaled to the group, a collective consensus regarding expectations for leader behaviors emerges. It is this team-level expectation to which potential leaders react with actual leader behaviors” (Karriker, 2005). This operational stage of the leadership emergence process ends when team consensus has been reached for norms of leader behavior and a leadership role emerges “the team consensus mediates the relationship between individual member’s expectations and leader behaviors,” and has an amount of influence in promoting task behaviors leading to the performing stage, “behavior patterns give the emerged leader a certain amount of latitude in migrating to more task oriented behaviors, as typically demonstrated in the performing phase” (2005). This stage has determined the member who will serve their role as leader.
Role identification in the final development stage of performing (the stage that begins when, “the emerged leader, already legitimized, now behaves in accordance with the team’s normalized expectations to direct the team’s task performance”), is now directed toward the performance of task, not, the behavior directed identification variables in the storming and norming phases, “in the performing phase, the leader exhibits behaviors related to the actual performance of the task at hand” (Karriker, 2005).
Although the cycle of role identification in the operational context of the leadership emergent process seems complete at the end of the performing phase, there is all probability the cycle can begin again, (recycle itself), should the need arise due to situational or relational aspects that will cause the revisiting to the “dynamic occurrence” or development of the group and or team stage; during this recycling process the leadership emergence role identification process can alter and change due to the new requirements presenting themselves, “change is indicative of the interaction-based leadership emergence process as different groups cycle through the storming, norming, and performing phases at different rates based upon continuous definition and redefinition of their needs for leadership” (Karriker, 2005). Guastello (2007) has described the recycling and revisiting process in this way:
particular leaders that emerge in a given situation will be predicated on the task complexity, information requirements, performance verifiability, and group’s preferences for dominant, considerate or radical thinking on the part of their leaders. It is also apparent that the type of task governs what traits or behaviors are most relevant for leadership emergence. (p.360)
It is from the completion of this role identification process that a leader emerges.
Virtual Leadership Emergence
Because computer-mediated communication, (CMC), is making virtual groups/teams an everyday occurrence, examining the literature on the dynamics of virtual leadership emergence is essential. Hiltz & Turnoff, 1992; Sproull & Kiesler, 1991; Tan et al., 1998; Robers, 1986; Strassman, 1985; Nyce & Groppa, 1983; and Huber, 1990 explain its importance:
CMC raises the possibility of revolutionary social and structural changes in the ways people communicate and relate to each other, potentially easing access to both information and people. Research has found CMC to cause efficient information flow in vertical and horizontal direction, increased ability to access coworkers, and increased availability of information internal and external to the organization. (as cited in George and Sleeth, 2000, p.287)
Additionally, CMC’s increased usage creates the necessity for virtual leadership emergence processes to stand in substitute for the traditional hierarchal modes of the process, “emergent leadership as a substitute for organizational hierarchy point to a need for organizations to revisit and rethink leadership, particularly emergent leadership in a CMC environment (George and Sleeth, 2000, p. 288). This information is important because electronic communication plays a very important role in the virtual leadership emergence process, “communication through electronic media can augment and possibly contribute to leadership emergence” (Yoo & Alavi, p. 51).
Unlike the real world leadership emergence process, the virtual leadership emergence process removes the non-verbal (sight related) psychological variables or cues that play a part in perception of leader, “CMC systems eliminate nonverbal cues that are generally rich in relational information” (George and Sleeth, 2000, p. 290). The virtual leadership emergence process replaces the leader traits found in both the conceptualization and operational perspectives explained in the real world section of the review with cyber-based cues.
The virtual leadership emergent process, like the real world, is conducive to role identification, however, the criteria for determination is cyber-based. Yoo and Alavi (2003) identified three cyber-based roles that they considered to be “behavioral patterns” in selection of leadership role by virtual groups, they are: initiator, scheduler, and integrator, “we identified three roles (behavioral patterns among emergent leaders . . . initiator, scheduler, and integrator” (p.40). All of these roles are instrumental in providing structural foundations for the group and serve as the reflection of difference between real world and virtual cyber-based cue differences.
A member who becomes initiator attains this role by virtue of expediency of initiating the beginning of structuring for the team through messaging for the virtual team and by assuring that his/her messages are geared toward the organization of the team/groups activity, “the first message from each of the emergent leaders (whether or not it was the first message of the team) showed the initiation of structuring behavior and included concrete suggestions for how to organize the team’s activities” (p. 40).
The role of scheduler in virtual leadership emergence process is determined by the member who sets the temp for the teams activity, (this can include scheduling conference calls and electronic messages, “the emergent leaders of six teams (all except Team 7) took the initiative of setting up the temporal rhythm of the project by coordinating the scheduled conference calls for the team. . . and “seemed to have used those calls as a major coordination mechanism” (Yoo & Alavi, 2003, p. 41). The coordination mechanism for temporal structure kept teams on track for task completion. Those emerging in the leader role also more times than not arranged for the follow-up reminders, “emergent leaders scheduled, set up, and often sent reminders for these conference calls” (p.41). Therefore it is safe to assume that members who provide coordination structure to the group and manage it may emerge from the virtual leadership process in the role of leader.
During the virtual leadership emergence process, those emerging in leader roles were very often the members who personally received, correlated, made-ready and submitted work completed by other team members as finalized product; they were designated role of integrator, “in particular, the emergent leaders personally compiled the final document and thus, became the central hub for the task completion” (Yoo & Alavi, 2003, p.43). Although integrators compiled the work into a finished product, they did not control or dominate content submitted; they concentrated on their own area of the content, “emergent leaders did not play the dominant role in terms of providing the necessary domain expertise, (p.47).
It is important to note the behaviors (variables/cues) that are present in the real world leadership emergence process that according to Yoo and Alavi (2003), do not come into consideration, they are, socio-emotional behaviors (relationship behaviors) and technology management behaviors (addressing technological short comings and problems), “socio-emotional behaviors did not distinguish emergent leaders from the rest . . .it was not the emergent teams leaders who primarily addressed the technology-related uncertainties: in most cases, it was the collective behavior of all team members” (pp. 46-47).
According to Ghislaaine Caulat (2006), virtual emergent leaders, like real world emergent leaders, must have the conceptual behaviors that make a good leader, they are:
Be a relationship builder;
Be a facilitator of social and work processes
Be a care taker
Be a communication designer
Align group structure, technology and task environment
Have sharpened listening skills and learn to listen not only to what is said/written but also to what is not said/written. They need to learn to listen to the worlds as well as the voice, the intonation, the speed of the delivery, etc. In each conversation there is a huge richness of data about the speaker and we only understand a little part in face-to-face. Virtual leaders need to learn how to understand the rest. (p.5)
Here, the suggestion of aligning group structure, technology and task environment is supportive of the scheduler, initiator and integrator roles described in information presented by Yoo and Alavi (2003).

New View on Leadership Emergence
A new way to view leadership emergence and vying for role identification is provided by Lynn Meade (2009) who takes the unusual direction of mentioning what an individual shouldn’t do to be a leader rather than concentrating on what they should do. She provides a set of “shalt not” commands that specifically correlate to and individual seeking and maintaining the role of leader:
How not to become a leader
Thou shalt not show up late or miss important meetings;
Thou shalt not be uninformed about a problem commanding the group's attention;
Thou shalt nor manifest apathy and lack of interest by sluggish participation;
Thou shalt not attempt to dominate conversation during discussion;
Thou shalt no listen poorly;
Thou shalt not be rigid and inflexible when expressing viewpoints;
Thou shalt not bully group members; and
Thou shalt not use offensive and abusive language. (Chapter 5)

She suggests that avoiding these bad habits and concentrating on conforming to the groups “norms, values, goals” and displaying the “proper motivation to lead,” are all actions an individual should take to emerge as a leader (Chapter 5).
As much of the literature has focused on the ideology of role identification within the process of real world and virtual team and/or group leadership emergence processes, very little has emphasized cue comparison. The interest is mainly focused on emergence within the confines of the boundary of the type of team studied, therefore, it is important to examine emergence cues (determining factors for choice of leader) in a comparison format to show how changes in media’s structures due to the result of digital convergence and globalization has impacted on the societal, cultural, social, technological and industrial foundations of the leadership emergence process in groups and/or teams. This impact is reflected in the transforming of real world emergence cues to cyber based cues; transformation that does not alter the ideological foundation of role identification, but, adapts it to the digital technology state. The questions are, what are the real world emergence cues that were transformed and how are they applied to virtual leadership emergence processes.
TYPES OF LEADERSHIP DESIGNATION
Appointed
Appointed leaders are leaders who are designated by a hierarchal system, i.e., organizational chart within an organization. These leaders are in the leadership role because their position or organizational title places them there; leadership and additional team role identification is determined by a higher authoritarian designation. In appointed leadership situations, although several members may demonstrate ability to lead, the designated leader adopts and utilizes the behaviors normally recognized as those of position-determined leaders (first speech, organization of task, discussion leading, etc.), and considers them duties (Wickham & Walther, 2007). Therefore the appointed status is of higher concern than subsequent duty behaviors, “in assigned leadership, the assigned status precedes the associated behaviors (2007, p. 3).
Emergent
Emergent leaders are leaders who are placed into position by the perceptions of the other members of the group and/or team. They emerge through an emergence process wherein the members, through group interaction and examination individual member’s leadership behaviors (cues of ability to be leader) take place; when completed a single member emerges as accepted leader by the group. This leader is therefore, willingly chosen and accepted, “emergent leader, a group member who is perceived by the other members through the process of interaction to be in command, as a director or facilitator, whom they willingly accept (Wickham & Walther, 2007, p.4). Therefore in emergent leadership, role identification is a member-shared designation.
LEADERSHIP EMERGENCE
Real World Groups
Pattern and Cues
Real world leadership emergence is based on a pattern of leader emergence, whereby; a leader emerges by a distinct elimination process conducted by all members of the group. This elimination process is conducted on possible leadership candidates in the group until one individual remains thus becoming the leader. The emergence process is a system of steps that examine and evaluate leadership cues, (communication, expressions, appearance, gestures, intelligence, skill set, personality, task efficiency, and social skills); this evaluation is essential in “formulating their leadership ratings” (Stein, 1975, p. 129). These ratings are based on verbal (and non-verbal cues within the context of two areas, task coordination and likability; individual’s verbal content is more important for evaluation of task related cues and non-verbal content more important for likability cues; “in other words, in detecting a coordinator, the words that were spoken by the group members were more important than physical appearance, posture, facial expressions, gestures, and so on. In perceiving liking, the nonverbal behaviors and appearance were more important than spoken words” (1975). Therefore, the cues examined within the scope of the pattern of emergence process determine role identification of leader in real world groups.
Leadership Emergence Pattern Process Applicability
Because the process of leadership emergence consists of the shared “information, ideas and recommendations” of the group, the concept of cue examination as applied to the leadership emergence pattern process in real world groups, is one of eliminating potential leadership candidates; this is done according to demonstration of negative cue perception by members of the group (Anderson & Wanberg, 1991, p.8). It is the leadership candidate who contributes positive emphasis on applied pattern process cues who emerges as leader, “emergent leaders tend to express more positive, approving behaviors” (1991, p. 8). The emergent leader is also the individual who is considered the best choice because he/she projects the highest level of positive demonstrated behavior cues in the verbal and non-verbal areas in the context of accepted task and likability, “the general tendency for groups is to accept as leader the person who provides the optimum blend of task efficiency and sensitivity to social considerations” (Meade, 2009, Chapter 5).
Lynn Meade, (2009) provides an example of how negatively demonstrated cues can be projected by potential leadership candidates within the group and a suggested application of a linear elimination process determined by highest to lowest level of negativity per cue behavior:
· Quiet members are among the first eliminated./Those who talk most are perceived initially as potential leader material;
· The member who express strong, unqualified assertions are also eliminated;
· The uniformed, unintelligent, or unskilled are next in line for elimination;
· Those who are bossy or dictatorial and those whose communication style is irritating or disturbing to other group members are eliminates. (Chapter 5).
Thus, examination of cues (positive and negative geared toward task and likability) and applicability to an emergent pattern process serves as the catalyst that produces an emergent leader for a group.

Virtual Groups
Virtual groups entertain a leadership emergence process like the real world groups do; however, because virtual groups are of digital existence, the patterns and examined cues of real world leadership emergence processes have been transformed into digitally founded cues and must therefore, be looked at as comparison of both real world and virtual environment.
In order to understand how this happens, it is important to know what a virtual team/group is. A virtual team/group is one that functions not in the traditional face-to-face model, but in a digital context, Poole & Zhang define virtual team/group features as “the key defining features of virtual teams are these: (a) Their members are dispersed and do not conduct much work face-to-face and (b) most interaction between members is mediated by ICTs” (as cited in Wheelan, 2005, p. 364).
Pattern and Cues
Virtual leadership emergence is also based on a pattern of leader emergence; however, the virtual emergence process utilizes cyber-based behavior cues in place of the real world cues to determine leadership role identification. Whereas, real world cues are based on the verbal and non-verbal behaviors of communication, expressions, appearance, gestures, intelligence, skill set, personality, task efficiency, and social skills, virtual cues are geared toward digital technology criteria such as number of posts, utilization of technology, communicative skill (messaging in e-mail, etc.). Even the visual non-verbal behavioral cues examined in the real world face-to-face environment, although not physically present, can exist in the virtual sense with the utilization of cyber symbols that reflect emotion, the “purpose of the Emoticon is to textually present the nonverbal cue of facial expression that one would present to their group members if they were in a face-to-face conversation” (Kelly, Davis, Nelson & Mendoza, 2208, p.2381)
It is important to realize, that although the digitally mediated emergence process to determine group roles and leader can be envisioned within the outline of the real world pattern, the two are essentially different in applicability for this reason as stated by Poole and Zhang, “technology, including the growth of internet working, developments in information and communication technologies (ICT’s)” (as cited by Wheelan, 2005, p.363). This is because the traditional concepts of the real world group (face-to-face) emergence process are transformed and utilized in digital context (cyber-based fashion). Anita Blanchard (2004) suggests that “CMC characteristics determine virtual community behavior” and “these characteristics are believed to have some influence on behavior as compared to FtF interactions” (p. 4). The chart below provided by Anita Blanchard (2004) provides examples of the digital-related technologies that enhance and influence virtual communication and therefore, have a direct correlation of determining behavioral cues within a virtual leadership emergence pattern:
Virtual Community
Description
Access
Examples
Asynchronous
Listservs
Group email discussion.
Email account. Must initially join group to receive messages. Only members can receive messages from the listserv.
EvalTalk: professionals interested in program evaluationSurvivorShip: Recovery group for victims of childhood abuse

Newsgroups
Group discussions similar to listservs except that messages are stored in a central location.
Must go to particular newsgroup site through Internet (e.g., Usenet), direct dial in, or specific Internet Service (e.g., AOL).
sci.psychology.misc: for discussions about psychology.rec.arts.tv.soaps: for soap opera fans
Synchronous
Chatrooms
Real-time discussions loosely based on particular topic or interest group
Must belong to service with this capability. Search through "rooms" or "channels" to find topic or group of interest.
Beyond Planet Earth: for people interested in astronomy30+: for people over 30 years old.

MOOs
Real time discussions and activities loosely based around particular topic. There is movement around a MOO, and participants interact with "objects."
Telnet to specific MOO. Can maneuver through rooms or areas.
MediaMOO: MOO for professionals interested in media research. Set up as a series of office buildings. LambdaMOO: Well-known social MOO set up as a house.
Table 1. Characteristics of various types of virtual community technology. Note: The names for these communities sometimes vary. Listservs are also known as majordomos; both names refer to the software that runs the technology. Newsgroups are also known as bulletin boards. Chatrooms developed from Internet Relay Channels (IRC). MOOs are similar to other virtual communities known as MUDs, MUSHes, and MUCKs. (p.4).
Comparison of Cues
The chart below will provide comparison of the real world verbal and non-verbal cues and how they are utilized in a cyber-base fashion:
REAL WORLD GROUP
VIRTUAL GROUP
Verbal Cues

Speaking

Engagement in Task

Emotion – (tone of voice, etc.)

Intelligence – (quality of information given verbally to the group concerning task, goals, etc.)

Social Skills – (manners, adhering to group norms, etc.)

Task Efficiency – efficiency in completion and quality of productivity

Personality – level of charisma, kindness, empathy, etc.
Cyber Based Cues

Posts

Number of posts.

Use of Emoticons (visual symbols that reflect emotion, smiley faces, frowns, etc.)

Quality of information in posts

Adhering to virtual group norms (type of posts, tone of writing, etc.)

Efficiency in completion and quality of posted or attached work

Tone of posts, use of emoticons, language of posts, etc.
Non-Verbal Cues

Expression – facial, (smiling, frowning, etc.)

Appearance

Gestures

Personality

Use of emoticons to express smile, frown, etc.

Virtual appearance aspect – how well posts set up, quality of wording, etc.

Use of emoticons and/or words to express momentary gestures

Use of Emoticons and word expressions
In virtual environment, symbols, such as emoticons, can serve in various functional roles for cue process.

Virtual Leadership Emergence Pattern Process Applicability Comparison
As explained previously, leadership emergence is the culmination of shared information ideas and recommendations of a group, the concept of cue examination and applied to the leadership emergence pattern process and is one that eliminates potential leadership candidates according to demonstration of negative cue perception of the other members. It is also noted that it is the person who shows in the most positive rating within this perception that becomes leader. Virtual groups go through the same process. The chart below depicts a comparison of virtual environment applicability to the real world applicability and clarifies how the process of the traditional real world group leadership emergence pattern provided by Meade (2009), can be utilized to work within the context of digital applicability for a virtual group.
Quiet members are among the first eliminated.

Those who talk most are perceived initially as potential leader material
Those who have a lack of posts, least number of posts, and too much extended time between posts are eliminated first.

Those who were first to post, provided on-going quality posts, and had least amount of time between posts are perceived as potential leaders of virtual group
The member who express strong, unqualified assertions are also eliminated
The poster who provided posts with most irrelevant material were ignored and eliminated.

“the individual with high communication competence, will emerge as the leader” (Sarker, Grewal, Sarker 2002, p.3).
The uniformed, unintelligent, or unskilled are next in line for elimination
The poster with lack of technical proficiency for posting, lack of quality of material in posting, lack of “internet conversation technique” (Kelly, Davis, Nelson, Mendoza, 2008, p. 2381).

The poster who presented an intelligence of the Internet culture was perceived as potential leader of the virtual group, “interpretation of this web savvy is as a cultural intelligence. The culture of the Internet has its own language (emoticons and initializations), conventions, and social structure” (p.2381). Presentation of this knowledge gives one and advantage over other members of the group as leader.

Because they are usually single-mindedly focused on technology, “individuals with high technical ability were less likely to emerge as leader” (Sarker, Grewal, Sarker (2002).
Those who are bossy or dictatorial and those whose communication style is irritating or disturbing to other group members are eliminates. (Chapter 5).

Those who utilize capital letters (represent shouting) are rude in wording and/or context of written posts, those writing inappropriate responses, etc. are eliminated.

Those showing interpersonal skill as demonstrated by technical proficiency and professionalism of posts are considered leader material.
The chart shows a virtual utilization of Meade’s linear highest to lowest level of negativity per cue behavior system, provides method of cue examination (positive and negative geared toward task and likability) for groups in the virtual environment. Thus, virtual applicability to the face-to-face leadership emergence will result in role identification of leader.
CONCLUSION
Due to the continuing process of digital convergence and globalization, and the ability for world-wide connectedness, virtual groups/teams are becoming the new normal for social, cultural, technological and industrial communication and productivity processes. This paper shows its reflected impact within the context of the transformation of the traditional mediums of communication (spoken word, written word, gestures, emotions, etc.) within the scope of leadership emergence processes in groups/teams. It is apparent that real world leadership role identification emergence cues are transformed into virtual leadership emergence role identification cues, within the group/team context. The cues therefore, exist and are utilized in both real-world and virtual environments. The traditional foundation of real world communicative abilities and functions used to formulate a pattern and criteria used by group members in the leadership emergence process, are transformed to digitally applicable abilities, functions, pattern and criteria in virtual environments.

Final Paper - The Work in Progress

2009-04-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

I've spent most of the weekend working on my paper, therefore, I am posting the work in progress.

INTRODUCTION

With the continuing rise of digital convergence, leadership is becoming a more profound issue, “virtual teams, once a novelty, are increasingly common” because convergence is “transforming the way companies in virtually every industry find, connect with, and develop relationships…an unstoppable force that is transforming business of all kinds...driving expansion and growth in the information, communications, and entertainment (ICE) industry, bringing new opportunities for profit;” new innovations are necessary to formulate new means of gaining and sustaining a competitive edge (Wheelan, 2005, p. 363; KPMG International, 2008, pp. 5-7, 38 pdf; Kaluza, Bleckerr, Bischof, 1999, p.2). That is, changes in media’s structures due to “the emergence of digital technologies” as the main entity and method for “representing, storing, and communicating information” are calling for a new evaluation of leadership within this new digital context (Syracuse University Convergence Center, 2009, p. 1).

Additionally, globalization is increasing and expanding due to digital emergence, “innovations like the internet have made its possible to access information and resources across the world – and to coordinate activities in real time” (Smith and Smith, 2002, p. 4). According to Hutton and Giddens as cited by Smith and Smith (2002), it is the interaction of extraordinary technological innovation combined with world-wide reach that gives today’s change its particular complexion (p. 4). That is, “the spread and connectedness of production, communication and technologies across the world” is inclusive of the webbing of “economic and cultural activity” (Smith and Smith, 2002, p.1). The result of the growth of digital convergence and globalization has a direct impact on society’s cultural, social, technological and industrial foundations. This impact is reflected in the transformation and utilization of traditional medias (e.g., spoken word, written word, TV, Radio, etc.) in the digital context of the virtual world (e.g., the World Wide Web {blogging, fanforums, organizational teams, etc}, Internet, Blackberry’s, etc.).

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this paper is to explain the concept of leadership emergence cues, in the context of digital technologies. That is, the pattern and criteria considered by group members in the emergence process. This explanation will compare the virtual process with the traditional real world process. It will show that the concepts of, participatory culture, collective intelligence, and advancing technological culture, (WWW and Internet, etc.) experienced by and with the convergence process are experienced by organizations and virtual formed groups who have altered traditional leadership mergence cues to those of a cyber-based nature (computer, technological based) criteria while maintaining the traditional foundation of real world leadership emergence cues.

Importance of Paper

Although considerable research has been conducted on leadership emergence cues in the virtual context, it is important to take it to the next level, within the scope of the leadership emergence process comparing virtual teams and group process with the real world process. This will show the change in the traditional leadership emergence process to one of digital capability usage.
This next step in virtual leadership examination is important because, it is the “crucial differentiator” in determining mediocre and high performance is the development of leaders who can function in the virtual world (Caulat, G. 2006, p. 2). Leadership in the virtual context allows organizations and/or groups to determine and address the risks and challenges found in their digitally founded strategies for the operational, financial, technological, and communicative aspects of their performance (KPMG, 2008, p.38). It also allows them to function successfully in the new collective and participatory nature of the digitally driven market. The realization of the important role of virtual leadership and its emergence process, will allow for the dodging of “potential pitfalls” and lead to the “path to success in the digital world” (p. 5).

LITERATURE REVIEW

Real World Leadership Emergence

Much of the literature on real world leadership emergence is based on the ideology of role identification, “the process in which leaders are identified and accepted is a process of role identification” (Karriker, 2005). The concept of role identification plays itself out within the confines of team structure within organized entities. Katz & Kahn (1978) as cited by Joy Karriker (2005), define organizations as open systems consisting of roles that have an emphasis in two areas, “the contrived nature of human organizations, and the unique properties of a structure consisting of acts or events rather than unchanging physical components” (1). Karriker suggests that within the Katz & Kahn framework, “acts, behaviors, and events provide the structure of groups” and these are what substitute for an organizations physical hierarchy and create the “dynamic nature of a group or team (2005, p. 1). These formulated groups, according to Arrow & McGrath (1995) as cited in Karriker are a “system: a complex pattern of dynamic relations among a set of people (members) using a set of technologies to accomplish a set of purposes-in-common” (2005). Therefore, the foundational structure of a group is a patterned web of relations termed a “dynamic occurrence” and the emergence of leadership is “essential to, and occurs as part of, the development of a particular form of group, the autonomous team (Karriker, 2005). Once teams are formed, the combination of relations and situational aspects interact formulating the leadership emergence process; the individual chosen for the leadership role will emerge as “leader as the situation demands” (Karriker, 2005).
Concerning this leadership role, the emergence process in literature concerns itself mostly with the leadership role and the culmination of perceived notions of other members of the group, “historically, emergent leadership has been investigated by operationalizing the phenomenon as the extent to which an individual is perceived by others” (Anderson & Wanberg, 1991, p.1). Secondly, leader emergence is often determined by this vote of confidence from other members of the group as determined by the additional dynamics of “control parameters – asymmetry, bifurcation and bias” (Guastello, 2007, p.358). These control parameters according to Guastello (2007) were best presented within the concept of the Swallowtail Catastrophe Model; a model that distinguishes the asymmetry, bifurcation and bias parameters:

There is a table for this information, does not paste correctly but shows correct on paper
Indicator
Creative problem solving groups
Production groups
Coordination-intensive groups
Asymmetry
Bifurcation
Bias
General participation and control of the conversation incl. gatekeeping, initiating following, harmonizing facilitating the ideas of others, task orientation consideration of other players’ interests, concern for solution quality.
Giving information, creative ideas, competitive behavior concern for solution quality.
Unknown
Tension reduction incl. harmonizing, giving information, goal realism.
Creative and task control, controlling the conversation
Unknown
General participation and control of the conversation; incl. gatekeeping, initiating, following, creative ideas, facilitating the ideas of others.

Verbal vs. non-verbal working conditions
Task control
Summarized from Guastello (2005) and Guastello and Bond (2007) as cited in Guastello (2007, p.362).

According to Guastello’s application of the Swallowtail parameters, leadership emergence process is both conceptual and based on experience and observation where task and creative control within the situations determine a yes or no vote of confidence for individual as leader (2007, p. 366-367).

Another important aspect to the leadership emergence process is the first impression perceptions, (judgment of group behavior, personality, level of expertise, problem solving, skill of communication, that influence the parameters in each individual group situation; these perceptions show that the psychological thought process of all group members plays a role in leadership emergence, “first impressions indicate that different psychological variables were operating as control parameters in each type of situation” (Gaustello, 2007, p.366). These psychological variables manifest themselves in the application and search for traits of members of the group that signify leadership capability, “one recurrent themes, nonetheless, was that a thick constellation of characteristics or behaviors contributed to parameter” (p. 366). What this is saying is, those that emerge as leaders in the real world leadership emergent process are those individuals who are conceptualized by the rest of the group members to be individuals who are not afraid to speak, speak with clarity, provide valuable information for task, show support for the group, permeate presence of power in that they can produce or offer more than others, shows active involvement through participation, etc. “leadership involves a free exchange of information, ideas, and recommendations” and . . .those that “can be oriented towards others” . . .and “who express support kindness and sympathy” will be perceived as one who can lead (Anderson & Wanberg, 1991 p.8 of 11).

An additional and important part of this phenomenon to note is that many times members of a group and/or team call upon their prior experiences of the leadership emergence process to influence their perceptions; this adds a culturally-based variable to the already situational-based dynamic of the process, “members, who have seen leadership emerge in the past, and who bring their own set of culturally based expectations to the group, draw upon leader behaviors demonstrated in past emergence processes and cultural conditioning to shape their perceptions of current leader behaviors” (Karriker, 2005). Thus, the successful emerging leader will have been chosen not only on situation and perception criteria, but, cultural criteria as well, “the extent to which leaders emerge successfully is a factor of not just their traits, but also the applicability of those traits to the members’ situational and culturally based expectations” (2005).

After exploring literature on a conceptual basis it is important to examine literature for a leadership emergence on an operational level of group and/or team development as well. An examination of leadership emergence offered in an operational context through role identification by Joy Karriker (2005), is based on Bruce Tuckman’s revision of his 1965 team process model of the four development stages of forming, storming, norming, and performing of groups and/or teams, “revisiting of the original five-component (forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning) model in favor of the realm-based model that emphasizes only the storming, norming, and performing phases” (Tuckman & Jensen (1977) as cited by Karriker (2005) p. 1).

Role identification within the scope of the storming stage of group/team development (the struggle for place in the group through presentation of cues and position, “a role-sending and role-taking process, in which members attempt to influence each other based upon their expectations for the roles of the group” Katz & Kahn [1978] as cited by Karriker [2005]), occurs when individuals members begin to interpret the “expectations, actions, and reactions” of others in the group (Karriker, 2005). This stage of development is completed when the action of influencing for the acceptance, modification or rejection of expectations has ended and role designation of leader is completed, “in deciding whether to accept, attempt to modify, or reject others’ expectations, each member is influential in the designation of roles, including those of the leader” (2005).

The identification of role in the norming stage (the stage where consistency of behaviors is agreed upon by the group; the back and forth vying for power has ended) comes from the agreement of a collective set of member expectations for leader behavior is determined giving potential leaders a chance to react with leader role behaviors, “in the norming phase of the integrated model, as individual expectations are signaled to the group, a collective consensus regarding expectations for leader behaviors emerges. It is this team-level expectation to which potential leaders react with actual leader behaviors” (Karriker, 2005). This operational stage of the leadership emergence process ends when team consensus has been reached for norms of leader behavior and a leadership role emerges “the team consensus mediates the relationship between individual member’s expectations and leader behaviors,” and has an amount of influence in promoting task behaviors leading to the performing stage, “behavior patterns give the emerged leader a certain amount of latitude in migrating to more task oriented behaviors, as typically demonstrated in the performing phase” (2005). This stage has determined the member who will serve their role as leader.

Role identification in the final development stage of performing (the stage that begins when, “the emerged leader, already legitimized, now behaves in accordance with the team’s normalized expectations to direct the team’s task performance”), is now directed toward the performance of task, not, the behavior directed identification variables in the storming and norming phases, “in the performing phase, the leader exhibits behaviors related to the actual performance of the task at hand” (Karriker, 2005).

Although the cycle of role identification in the operational context of the leadership emergent process seems complete at the end of the performing phase, there is all probability the cycle can begin again, (recycle itself), should the need arise due to situational or relational aspects that will cause the revisiting to the “dynamic occurrence” or development of the group and or team stage; during this recycling process the leadership emergence role identification process can alter and change due to the new requirements presenting themselves, “change is indicative of the interaction-based leadership emergence process as different groups cycle through the storming, norming, and performing phases at different rates based upon continuous definition and redefinition of their needs for leadership” (Karriker, 2005). Guastello (2007) has described the recycling and revisiting process in this way:

(this is long quote) set apart as necessary on the paper: "particular leaders that emerge in a given situation will be predicated on the task complexity, information requirements, performance verifiability, and group’s preferences for dominant, considerate or radical thinking on the part of their leaders. It is also apparent that the type of task governs what traits or behaviors are most relevant for leadership emergence. (p.360)

Virtual Leadership Emergence

Because computer-mediated communication, (CMC), is making virtual groups/teams an everyday occurrence, examining the literature on the dynamics of virtual leadership emergence is essential. Hiltz & Turnoff, 1992; Sproull & Kiesler, 1991; Tan et al., 1998; Robers, 1986; Strassman, 1985; Nyce & Groppa, 1983; and Huber, 1990 explain its importance:

Long quote set off "CMC raises the possibility of revolutionary social and structural changes in the ways people communicate and relate to each other, potentially easing access to both information and people. Research has found CMC to cause efficient information flow in vertical and horizontal direction, increased ability to access coworkers, and increased availability of information internal and external to the organization." (as cited in George and Sleeth, 2000, p.287)

Additionally, CMC’s increased usage creates the necessity for virtual leadership emergence processes to stand in substitute for the traditional hierarchal modes of the process, “emergent leadership as a substitute for organizational hierarchy point to a need for organizations to revisit and rethink leadership, particularly emergent leadership in a CMC environment (George and Sleeth, 2000, p. 288). This information is important because electronic communication plays a very important role in the virtual leadership emergence process, “communication through electronic media can augment and possibly contribute to leadership emergence” (Yoo & Alavi, p. 51).

Unlike the real world leadership emergence process, the virtual leadership emergence process removes the non-verbal (sight related) psychological variables or cues that play a part in perception of leader, “CMC systems eliminate nonverbal cues that are generally rich in relational information” (George and Sleeth, 2000, p. 290). The virtual leadership emergence process replaces the leader traits found in both the conceptualization and operational perspectives explained in the real world section of the review with cyber-based cues.

The virtual leadership emergent process, like the real world, is conducive to role identification, however, the criteria for determination is cyber-based. Yoo and Alavi (2003) identified three cyber-based roles that they considered to be “behavioral patterns” in selection of leadership role by virtual groups, they are: initiator, scheduler, and integrator, “we identified three roles (behavioral patterns among emergent leaders . . . initiator, scheduler, and integrator” (p.40). All of these roles are instrumental in providing structural foundations for the group and serve as the reflection of difference between real world and virtual cyber-based cue differences.

A member who becomes initiator attains this role by virtue of expediency of initiating the beginning of structuring for the team through messaging for the virtual team and by assuring that his/her messages are geared toward the organization of the team/groups activity, “the first message from each of the emergent leaders (whether or not it was the first message of the team) showed the initiation of structuring behavior and included concrete suggestions for how to organize the team’s activities” (p. 40).

The role of scheduler in virtual leadership emergence process is determined by the member who sets the temp for the teams activity, (this can include scheduling conference calls and electronic messages, “the emergent leaders of six teams (all except Team 7) took the initiative of setting up the temporal rhythm of the project by coordinating the scheduled conference calls for the team. . . and “seemed to have used those calls as a major coordination mechanism” (Yoo & Alavi, 2003, p. 41). The coordination mechanism for temporal structure kept teams on track for task completion. Those emerging in the leader role also more times than not arranged for the follow-up reminders, “emergent leaders scheduled, set up, and often sent reminders for these conference calls” (p.41). Therefore it is safe to assume that members who provide coordination structure to the group and manage it may emerge from the virtual leadership process in the role of leader.

During the virtual leadership emergence process, those emerging in leader roles were very often the members who personally received, correlated, made-ready and submitted work completed by other team members as finalized product; they were designated role of integrator, “in particular, the emergent leaders personally compiled the final document and thus, became the central hub for the task completion” (Yoo & Alavi, 2003, p.43). Although integrators compiled the work into a finished product, they did not control or dominate content submitted; they concentrated on their own area of the content, “emergent leaders did not play the dominant role in terms of providing the necessary domain expertise, (p.47).

It is important to note the behaviors (variables/cues) that are present in the real world leadership emergence process that according to Yoo and Alavi (2003), do not come into consideration, they are, socio-emotional behaviors (relationship behaviors) and technology management behaviors (addressing technological short comings and problems), “socio-emotional behaviors did not distinguish emergent leaders from the rest . . .it was not the emergent teams leaders who primarily addressed the technology-related uncertainties: in most cases, it was the collective behavior of all team members” (pp. 46-47).

According to Ghislaaine Caulat (2006), virtual emergent leaders, like real world emergent leaders, must have the conceptual behaviors that make a good leader, they are:

Be a relationship builder;
Be a facilitator of social and work processes
Be a care taker
Be a communication designer
Align group structure, technology and task environment
Have sharpened listening skills and learn to listen not only to what is said/written but also to what is not said/written. They need to learn to listen to the worlds as well as the voice, the intonation, the speed of the delivery, etc. In each conversation there is a huge richness of data about the speaker and we only understand a little part in face-to-face. Virtual leaders need to learn how to understand the rest. (p.5)

Here suggestion of aligning group structure, technology and task environment is supportive of the scheduler, initiator and integrator roles described in information presented by Yoo and Alavi (2003).

As much of the literature has focused on the ideology of role identification within the process of real world and virtual team and/or group leadership emergence processes, very little has emphasized cue comparison. The interest is mainly focused on emergence within the confines of the boundary of the type of team studied, therefore, it is important to examine emergence cues (determining factors for choice of leader) in a comparison format to show how changes in media’s structures due to the result of digital convergence and globalization has impacted on the societal, cultural, social, technological and industrial foundations of the leadership emergence process in groups and/or teams. This impact is reflected in the transforming of real world emergence cues to cyber based cues; transformation that does not alter the ideological foundation of role identification, but, adapts it to the digital technology state. The questions are, what are the real world emergence cues that were transformed and how are they applied to virtual leadership emergence processes.

Collaboration and Participation Traditional Leadership Theories and Bottom-Up Consumer Driver Challenge to Branding

2009-04-11T05:37:00.000-07:00

Chapter 4 - Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars?

Summary of Reading

This chapter delves into the ideology of convergence and how it has evolved the traditional “grassroots” methods of creativity. Originally creativity and the sharing of ideas, methods, and processes experienced a much greater closed captive audience. Quilting bees passed the craft down to others; people became apprentices to learn a trade, etc. These original types of passing and sharing of creative innovations, skill and new ideas are now experiencing the availability of mass audience and the opportunity to share their ideas with everyone, no longer is creativity restricted waiting for that big break; now individual creativity as a way to experience instant notoriety. The chapter also discusses the ramifications of this and how it develops a consumer up influence on existing brands and the ongoing battle of producer vs. fan over the amount of freedom and creative license consumers can take with producers existing ideas.

Key Ideas

1) The web is a tool utilized by mass members of society as a “distribution channel” for original-grassroots traditions and new individualistic cultural based products by everyday mass audience. For this reason, the web has created an atmosphere of extensive consumer-based participation that has created a controversial relationship between producers trying to protect their branding and consumers who are enthralled with their product and utilize it for creative purposes.

2) The traditional foundation of grassroots folk culture was strengthened and built by passing down of skills, etc. from members of the communities from many countries and a blending of cultures, now, convergence has created a culture where the avenue of “media conglomerates” becomes foundation where participation and commercial exist together. This phenomenon puts additional power in the hands of consumers who now have the ability to choose how, when, where and if they will share their grassroots creativity within the contexts of produced brands; web gives amateur consumers an avenue into the public spectrum.

3) This avenue to public has created a conflict between producers wanting to protect their brands and ideas and the consumers who feel the necessity and the right of sharing creative license with the existing brands. This conflict has led to many types of tactics for protection, laws, games, fanforums and the conflict continues to exist. Many producers are finding that the traditional ideologies of leadership in a transformational sense, allowing consumers to actively participate and feel ownership is reaping benefits for all; it is allowing grassroots creators to actively participate in things that are culturally important to them. Producers are finding that collaboration style of this conflict management is a positive for their bottom-line.

4) Convergence has created a gray area for producers and consumers when it comes to how to regulate the amount of participatory levels and what rules they should all play by.

5) It is clear that producers need consumers and consumers need producers, that fact is indisputable.

Difficult or Challenging Concept

I really enjoyed this weeks reading and really didn’t find the concept hard to understand, however, I would like to know, once a product or brand is released to the mass audience of the public, can producers really say hey its mine. They are the ones that made the money by mass production and distribution, so in essence, they created their own monster. It’s a two-way street; convergence makes them money but also gives them the risk of loosing their hold on license.

Questions

What leadership concepts to you recognize in producer handling of this new evolution of bottom-up culture?

Do you feel, as they seem to be finding, that collaboration is the best means of conflict management in this situation?

Does this means of mass distribution of grassroots culture take away from the original concept passing down traditions one to another, does it spoil this concept?

Relation to Paper

This week’s reading relates to my paper with the concept of solving of virtual group conflict with traditional theories of leadership management. The chapter recognized collaboration, transformational leadership theory (allowing consumers ownership and participation), etc.

2009-04-04T02:12:00.000-07:00

Article 1

Overview and Summary

Why the Digital Computer is Dead – Chris Chesher

The information in this article is the perception of Chesher that the term digital is obsolete and we should instead consider “invocational media” because the new media is relating to the ability to gather information with the click of a mouse or as its termed, “call things up” (1).

Key Ideas

1) Personal choice, perception, decision of task from the person calling up the information, choices and the objectives are what determines the use of information once it is gotten from the context in which it was put together or “gathered.” Therefore, computer is “invocator.” The “invocator” is responsive to the direction, choice, and commands of its user.

2) Technology and magic is correlated and is described as the proof that the older, “non-modern” forms of culture exist but are now manifested in computerized presentation (7). The older forms of culture have taken on a newer more modern ambiance and this can be pulled up, examined, utilized, etc. with a click of a mouse (magic). All the attention is then placed on what information the user chooses to call up, not on how they got it. Just as in magic, it is said that, “the hand is quicker than the eye” (11).

3) The act of the “invocator” or user calling up the information brings with it a power to the person doing the clicking allowing them to determine how things will be and what the meaning and utilization for what is called up will be. They will take existing information and apply it to their own use, thus, reinventing, transforming, and changing what the original information may have been meant for. Each click of the mouse is a process, gathering, reading, interpreting, utilizing, and putting into action user perception and concept of what the information is for. This process converges the regular cultural ideologies and practices we have and utilize. The e-mail message is an example of this, it is a form of technology with communication (social cultural aspect) results.

4) Another important key is that “invocation” converges and utilizes culturally recognized materials and know how within its system. As explained by the author e-mail uses the idea of mailboxes, addresses, etc. like the post office. Another example would be text messaging which uses a language all its own, similar to the old idea of morse code or Indian code during the war.

Challenging Aspect

The most challenging aspect for me was to recognize and use the new terminology; to develop and reprogram my brain to this new way of thinking of something I haven’t given much thought to accept that it was always there and termed what I’ve always known it to be termed. This author in his/her own right was transforming what I normally and culturally expected to be used as terminology and references to a whole new word that took the process (which remains what I know it is) and transformed it into a new ambiance for me; out of my norm into another even though the norms of the process for me didn’t change. I think this was the whole idea of the article and it happened to me as I was reading it, very clever.

Questions

In what way, is this prevalent today especially among the younger generation who are growing up with different and more modern “invocations” of existing culturally driven medias?
Will this transformation of the old culturally accepted manifestations of language, etc. become the norm and will that diminish the art of language and the joy of the written word or will it always remain the foundation for new media.
Will this invocation become the foundation for the new generation because cultural “continuities” are modernized?

Relation to Paper

This article is actually directly related to the concept of my paper. My paper concerns leadership emergence and its cues in the virtual world. Here to, accepted cultural norms are transformed into a more modern usage; these norms are the leadership emergence cues that are found in face-to-face groups as they are presented in the world of the virtual group. They exist but take on new technological concepts within the process. It happens in my real world every day. My daughter texts me and the word and language I’m used to is presented in a shorter text language all its own; the meaning of the messages are the same, however, their appearance is different.

Article 2 Overview and Summary

The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical – Walter Benjamin

The information in this article the transformation of art within the contexts of the technological and mechanical world; it is like the first article, however, looks at a different medium to describe it, (art). Art viewing becomes quantity at a click of a mouse, a click of a remote, a push of a button, however, the ambiance and cultural implications of its original place, originality, etc. is somehow lost in its technological manifestation of viewing.

Key Ideas

1) The nature of any kind of art is transformed when presented within the context and content of mechanical means, medias, etc.
2) The audience of art forms identify with the mechanical median in which it is presented, not necessarily with the original intent of its creator.
3) The new mechanical mediums allow normal everyday people to become artists in their own right (authors, if you think of blogging, directors and camera men if you think of Youtube).
4) The nature of the beast is that newer and newer creations will appear and demands will carry them further and further and make them available to its public in an instant and provide art to the masses.
5) The masses viewing the art reserves the right of perception as to why and how they are looking at it and the right to determine its meaning to them.
6) The original art is preserved but its viewed and shared by the masses.

Challenging Aspects

The one challenge was reading this article, at first I was concerned with what it had to do with anything. Then as I got into it the challenge became what do I need to pull out of this thing. What I determined for myself was that the ideology presented was that anything is preserved in its original form but it is in the eye of the beholder as to the meaning it has for them. With the mechanical world allowing us, as part of the mass, to view and be exposed to art both on the viewing and creating end (blogs, Youtube, e-books, etc.) it is expanding arts perception and choice of meaning. Again a reaffirmation that convergence is transforming, changing and challenging our existing foundational cultural norms on a constant basis bringing them into the new world of consumer usage and control.

Questions

1) Does the presentation to masses preserve just the physical property and is something taken away from the artist’s original hopes for its meaning?
2) Do societal demands of intact cultural foundations, wage its own war against this new technology?
3) In what ways does society transform its thinking in order to gain insight and a glimpse of culture of art within the realms of viewing as part of the masses?

Relation to Paper

This article like the last incorporates the idea that societal foundations of cultural existence remain, however, its ideologies are presented to the masses, quickly, easily, and are open for interpretation. Again my paper looking at the existing foundational norms for leader emergence in a transformed way of virtual emergence is experiencing this same type of transformation. The foundation exists but is evolving to adapt to the technological world.

Cyber-based Leadership Cues

2009-03-28T14:56:00.000-07:00

Revised Thesis Statement

There is a cyber-based cue leadership emergence process in virtual communities and this process emulates the traditional leadership process in context; however, virtual communities utilize unique cyber-based cues to recognize virtual leadership. These cues work within the context of medium convergence and serve to enhance, regulate, and maintain the cohesiveness of the communities; the presence and strength of such cues determines a community’s effectiveness.

Introduction

I contend that because these virtual communities are relevant to convergence models and its noted concepts, their intricacies, as a community group, recognize and follow practice of the traditional hierarchical concept of emergence of leadership while utilizing the new and exciting mediums of today’s cyber-based societal communication.

This traditional leader-role emergence within the confines of the on-line CMC virtual community, utilizes cyber-based context and tasks as cues to determine leadership selection rather than the normal face-to-face verbal and non-verbal cues of leadership determination utilized in real-world groups. These cues are found in a convergence of mediums and their usage plays an important role in the cyber-based context that is utilized to determine virtual community leadership selection.

Article Summaries

Yoo, Y. and Alvi, M (2003). Emergent leadership in virtual teams: what do emergent leaders do?
Information and Organization, Vol(14)1, January 2004, pp. 27-58.
Doi:10.1016/j.infoandorg.2003.11.001, Retrieved March 6, 2009.

This article was based on a study that examined the “behaviors and roles that are enacted by emergent leaders” in virtual groups (Yoo & Alvi, p.1). It provided definition of leadership within the virtual context, described the challenges affiliated with the cyber-based cues of virtual leadership, and gave the ideology of leadership perspective within the scope of the traditional leadership emergence cues of traits, behavior, and contingency.

It is in direct correlation with paper subject matter.

Guastello, S. (2004). Non-linear dynamics and leadership emergence. The Leadership
Quarterly, Vol(18), 4, August 2007, pp. 357-369
Doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2007.04.005, Retrieved March 6, 2009.

This article looks at the cyber leadership emergence process within the context of virtual groups and the systems concepts of non-linear dynamical systems concepts (NDS, attractors, tension reduction, goal realism, tasks, hierarchy,) as they relate to virtual group structure.

It is directly related to my paper because it clarifies that structure does exist within virtual groups and looks at several cyber-base cues that support leadership emergence and formation and maintenance of structure for the group. It also presents the LMX leadership theory within the scope of cyber-based traits.

Johnson, C. (2001). A survey of current research on online communities of practice.
The Internet and Higher Education, Vol(4)1, 1st Quarter 2001, pp. 45-60
Doi:10.1016/S1096-7516(01)00047-1, Retrieved March 6, 2009.

This article examines current literature and virtual communities within the concept of network technologies and the group’s communication and collaboration techniques. It explains that just because a virtual community is formed and exists does not mean that a set “community of practice” will evolve. Research suggests that task-based learning and need must be present for them to do so. It also shows that the absence of face-to-face contact within web-based tools can be advantageous because it diminishes and suppresses traditional group behaviors. It further explores the hindrance of virtual groups (lack of response time, cultural difference, non-related discussion content, etc.).

It is important because it gives a foundation for virtual group consistency and formulation through the utilization of network technology which can provide an understanding of technological foundation of cyber-based cues for emergent leadership.

CONTROLLED AUDIENCE????

2009-03-26T09:02:00.001-07:00

Two great articles bringing up a very good point after our recent discussions in class, are on-line formats that profess to be open forums for entire public participation really open to all?

Obama takes questions from online participants
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090326/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_online

Is this a form of directed partipation so that possible messages of support are weighted in favor of whomever is controlling the venue?

Ensuring a friendly audience for online town hall
Politico

Ben Smith Ben Smith – 33 mins ago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/31179

Politicians Trying Out The YouTube Culture

2009-03-19T04:31:00.000-07:00

YouTube 'spammed by US Congressmen'

YouTube, the internet hosting site, is being flooded with cringe worthy video messages from US politicians, it has been claimed.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/5009465/YouTube-spammed-by-US-Congressmen.html

BERNERS-LEE WARNING

2009-03-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

Web founder warns against website snooping
March 13, 2009: 02:59 PM ET

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/reuters/MTFH14871_2009-03-13_18-59-20_LD590679.htm

Sirius Converges

2009-03-12T07:58:00.001-07:00

Sirius XM Radio planning to stream to iPhone, iPod (AP)

Posted on Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:56AM E

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090312/ap_on_hi_te/tec_sirius_iphone

Blogging in my Opinion

2009-03-12T02:22:00.000-07:00

Blogging Personal Opinion Column

Article 1 – Blogging, What is it?

Question 1 – What motivates people to create blogs?

For me the thing that would motivate me to Blog is having the opportunity to have a free and open atmosphere and public forum in which to present my opinions and I will have an audience and get response; these would probably be opinions and thoughts on things that I really feel strongly about. I also hope that in some way, if it is a blog for questions or advice and it’s something I’ve experienced, that I can help someone in some way. I read them because I’m curious to see if others are feeling the same about the things that are important to me; personal choice plays a huge role in what I blog or the blogs I read. It also provides a connection to folks I would have never had the opportunity to connect with right from where I’m sitting. I will admit that I am cautious and do not normally blog on personal sites such as Facebook or My Space where personal information and pictures are shared. I’m uncomfortable with it and others have lost jobs, not gotten jobs, or have had other consequences for things on those types of blogs (for instance, the Olympic swimmer who made national news because of an inappropriate picture that was posted).

It is I believe the same for others, they have opinions they want to share, they are curious about what others think, they relish the place where they have an audience, and I think on a higher level, like me, they hope that they are doing some good.

Question 2 – Do bloggers have ethical responsibilities for accuracy?

I believe they do, especially if the blog is advice of a helping nature like medical or support groups, or actually the more I think about it, we all do. They not only have it for accuracy but for responsible choice of what they are putting on blogs like pictures, etc. Blogging can have a domino reaction to it. Our opinions, thoughts, and presentation of our perception of information (words, pictures, etc. on blogs) of what’s going on around us could directly affect someone else especially if there are visuals with our personal blogs. Suppose you were a senior in college and at a party and a friend took some pictures and posted them on their personal blog, a potential employer could see the pictures and you could loose the opportunity, was your friend responsible to have put the pictures up? They probably felt since it was their blog and their pictures it was okay, however, it turned out to be irresponsible because the potential employer looking at the photos perceived them to be something else or perhaps what they actually were and you weren’t aware your friend put them up; hence, the domino reaction.

Question 3 - Has the blog made an impact on how people use the web? Do blogs encourage a more participative culture and collective intelligence online?

Sure it has, people now use the web as an available audience to discuss what’s on their minds. Before we were confined to our immediate, personal, work, and social circle, now the world is there with an ear. It is for this reason that blogging encourages the participative culture, there are hundreds of opinions out there and you can search for and respond to those you want, from your home, all day if you want and it’s not just an immediate circle but the entire world. Collective intelligence naturally follows the participation and availability of audience. Once several folks respond to a subject, collective intelligence is occurring, especially if it is of advice or support nature. Think of a group for foundation like the American Cancer Society, their bloggings certainly provide valuable and helpful information for anyone concerned with the subject. Even the Survivor forum that we read about was collective intelligence, information from all fans involved on the forum brought together to solve the mystery of who is going to win Survivor. All facts, information and yes even some opinion was brought together with a click of a mouse, participation and intelligence in one place.

Question 4– How is the blog an example of digital convergence?

It’s a product of digital convergence. Its success is due to technological tools both the original of the WWW mixed with the new of blogging tools, it has affected all aspects of our society and our culture, politics, producers, and consumers have all jumped on board. It is a participative culture, has collective intelligence and has converged information from every medium that has existed, radio, TV, etc. into one place. Also it will continue to change and evolve.

Article 2 -A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Blog.

Question 1. – What are the ethical implications of blogs? Should people be mindful of offensive content?

The ethical implication of blogs is that others will view, perceive, and possibly act on the information you put out there. Therefore, it is important that you consider this before you blog; your blogging could be effective in a consequence or reaction you didn’t expect. Someone who provide information say on a medication and they haven’t had medical background or know the facts could do real harm to someone who perceived their information to be true and accurate. There is also the chance that it could come back to bite you as in the Olympic swimmer. It is the same for offensive content, you have to remember that the whole world is your audience, if you are a teacher, your school board, or even students could be reading what you write, this can have consequences.

There are also good implications such as the follow through of many groups to plan to meet face to face to discuss information, friendships are formed and bonds made.

Question 2 – Does blogging elicit civic and community engagement? Or, does blogging draw the blogger into the online world and away from the community?

Blogging can draw you closer and has the ability to enable you to become more involved. Because it provides collective information in one spot you will be aware of subjects and things going on that you might not have been otherwise and therefore, chose to become involved because it is important to you. It may help you make decisions about what is going on in your community or perhaps with an organization and you decide to vote a certain way or help the organization. It has the ability to draw you into the community. On the other hand, if you are a blogger who does only that and are on the computer 24/7 giving opinions and not choosing to become involved and get out there it is doing the opposite for you. However, this is personal choice and I think that is the key. You make the choice whether you stay in the online world or use it to become involved on a civic or personal level.

Question 3 – Should the administrator of the blog have the right to edit posts by others? Does this make the blog less authentic?

This is a personal opinion question and each blogger will feel differently; however what it boils down to is that if the blogger owns the blogging site, he or she has the ability to edit and delete posts that they feel are offensive. Their actions will have reactions, if those blogging on their sites feel they are taking too much control and exercising dictatorship in the area of freedom of speech, they will choose not to utilize or blog on that site which could destroy its level of participation and membership. That being said, I do feel that administrators should remove information that is harmful and overly offensive, I think of information that may be harmful to younger people reading, or someone who is making it a point to cause discourse and havoc. Each person feels differently and will act accordingly. I dislike offensive posts that go against what I feel my values are and others may find them fine, its personal choice and opinion. That being said, if an administrator wants total authenticity without any editing, they can always put on a disclaimer that what you see is what you get and there will be no editing. Then it is each bloggers choice to participate in that particular blog.

TWITTER TO THE WHITE HOUSE

2009-03-06T06:15:00.001-08:00

Uh Oh, White House Seeks Economic Advice From Twitter
Nicholas Carlson|Mar. 6, 2009, 8:44 AM|3

http://www.businessinsider.com/uh-oh-white-house-seeks-economic-advice-from-twitter-2009-3

THE TECH CUES OF LEADERSHIP EMERGENCE

2009-03-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

Revised Thesis Statement

There is a cyber-based cue leadership emergence process in virtual communities.

Introduction

The convergence emergence generation is upon us, virtual communities are becoming the latest fashion trend within the scope of computer-mediated communication (CMC), precisely, the environment of the Internet. From on-line game communities to fan forum threads, these virtual communities are serving as social, psychological, competitive, and task-oriented entities for their participants.

I contend that because these virtual communities are relevant to convergence models and its noted concepts, their intricacies, as a community group, recognize the traditional hierarchical concept of emergence of leadership. This traditional leader-role emergence within the confines of the on-line CMC virtual community, utilizes cyber-based context and tasks as cues to determine leadership selection rather than the normal face-to-face verbal and non-verbal cues of leadership determination utilized in real-world groups. These cues are found in a convergence of mediums and their usage plays an important role in the cyber-based context that is utilized to determine virtual community leadership selection.

Articles

Teo, H., Chan, H., Wei, K., and Zhang, Z. (2003) Evaluating information accessibility and community
adaptivity features for sustaining virtual learning communities. Science Direct, International Journal
of Human-computer Studies., doi: 101016/S1071-5819(03)00087-9 Retrieved March 5, 2009.

Summary

This article discusses virtual communities and their growth and impact within the scope the large amounts of activities from "economic and marketing to the social and educational." (p.1). It relates to my thesis because of its depiction of convergence ideologies that may or may not influence the sustainability of a virtual community and the cues that are connotative of defining the hierarchical structures of interaction that define and control the process.

Nabath, T., Angehrn, A., and Mittal, P. (2005). Using artificial agents to stimulate participation in
virtual communities. International Journal of Electronic Commerce., Vol. 8 (2) Winter 2003 pp. 75-94.
Retrieved March 5, 2009 from: http://www.ac.aup.fr/~croda/publications/2005CeldaAgentsComm.pdf

Summary and Relation to Thesis

This article discusses how virtual communities are an avenue to facilitate the circulation of knowledge in groups and the challenge of engaging people into the process to maintain a sustainable group. It is directly related to my paper's thesis because it alludes to the set of cues that are used to establish a virtual community's members and its climate. It covers the suggested cues in behavioral patterns within a technical context.

LEADERSHIP CUES TASK AND CONVERGENCE

2009-02-28T03:13:00.000-08:00

Blog 5

REVISED NARROWED THESIS

With the convergence emergence generation upon us, virtual communities are becoming the latest fashion trend within the scope of computer-mediated communication (CMC), precisely, the environment of the internet. From on-line game communities to fan forum threads, these virtual communities are serving as social, psychological, competitive, and task oriented entities for their participants.

I contend that because these virtual communities are relevant to convergence models and its noted concepts, their intricacies, as a community group, recognize the traditional hierarchal concept of emergence of leadership and within their realms and this traditional leader-role emergence within the confines of the on-line CMC utilizes cyber-based context and tasks to determine leadership selection rather than normal face to face verbal and non-verbal cues of leadership determination. I further contend that convergence of mediums and their usage plays a role in the cyber-based context that is utilized to determine virtual community leadership selection.

ARTICLES

White, N. (2004), Facilitating and hosting a virtual community. Retrieved
February 26, 2009, from http://www.fullcirc.com/community/communityfacilitation.htm

Summary

This article discusses the concept of virtual community leadership roles through the facilitation process within the context of recognized leadership tasks in a virtual leadership role. Tasks such as providing guidance, clear mission and purpose, helping to meet groups goals, fostering member motivation, providing and encouraging skilled communication, team building, conflict management, enhancing a comfortable environment for members and ensuring that virtual group members needs are met are discussed. These leadership tasks all take place in a virtual community therefore; convergence of technology and its use play a role in the strength of virtual leadership facilitation and successful task completion.

Koh, J., Kim, Y., Butler, B. and Bock G. (2007, February). Encouraging participation in virtual
Communities. Communications of the ACM, 50(2), 69-73. Retrieved February 25, 2009
From Academic Search Premier database.

Summary

This article discusses the structure and roles of leadership in virtual communities and how computer mediated communication with the inclusion of several converged mediums, graphical, textual, and video interfaces (avatars, graphic images, video chat) play a role in leadership role and tasks. It defines virtual community and connects technology in the context of leadership tasks while defining the importance of integrated technology to the success of leadership task.

Yu, C., & Young, M. (2008, February). The virtual group identification Process: a virtual
Educational community case. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 11(1) 87-90. Retrieved
February 25, 2009, doi:10.1089/cpb.2007.9929

Summary

This article discussed virtual communities as social interaction groups in the context of the establishment of virtual group identities. It clearly defines the role of group leadership and its importance to the identity and strength of a virtual group through discussion of leadership tasks or cues.

Butler, B., (2001). Membership size, communication activity, and sustainability: a resource-
Based model of online social structures. Information Systems Research; Dec 2001;
12, 4; ABI/INFORM Global pg. 346-362

Summary

This study examined virtual communities within the context of size, activity, and sustainability and how these factors play a determinant role in the structure of a virtual group. The areas discussed were resource availability, leadership task, communication activity, (volume and variation of posts), the discussion of text converging with internet as alternative to “physical/face to face communication infrastructures” are discussed (p.351).

RELATION TO THESIS

These articles are the foundation for presenting the main context of my thesis, the emergence of traditional leadership concepts in the structure of CMC cyber-based context or virtual communities. They present individual task factors of virtual community leadership emergence and the role convergence of mediums (text, video, internet, graphics, etc.), plays in perception and actuality of virtual leadership position.

NET FREEDOM

2009-02-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

The intensifying battle over Internet freedom

By Joanne Leedom-Ackerman Joanne Leedom-ackerman – Tue Feb 24, 3:00 am ET

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20090224/cm_csm/yleedomackerman

On Cue for Leadership Final Paper

2009-02-21T09:42:00.000-08:00

TOPIC

The topic for my Final Paper is leadership emergence and roles in virtual communities and the cue comparison for leadership determination between normal verbal and non-verbal cues of face to face communities vs. technological tool cues for virtual communities.

THESIS

With the convergence emergence generation upon us, virtual communities are becoming the latest fashion trend within the scope of computer-mediated communication (CMC), precisely, the environment of the internet. From on-line game communities to fan forum threads, these virtual communities are serving as social, psychological, competitive, and task oriented entities for their participants.

As explained by our convergence model class discussions, these virtual communities provide one of the tools for the continued circulatory motion of concepts within existing technological, cultural, industrial and societal aspect layers of our lives:

Highly participative cultures where the use, influence, centralized and collective intelligence are utilized to maintain the communities;
Consumer up/Producer down transactions – online discussion threads utilized for marketing techniques that offer incentives such as rewards for number of postings and producers of goods and services utilize discussion comments to influence their business decisions; and
On-line personal media content that’s portable and able to travel.

I contend that because these virtual communities are relevant to convergence models and its noted concepts, their intricacies, as a community group, recognize the traditional hierarchal concept of emergence of leadership within their realms and this traditional leader-role emergence within the confines of the on-line CMC utilizes cyber-based context to determine leadership selection rather than normal face to face verbal and non-verbal cues of leadership determination.

Articles:

Blanchard, A. (2004). Virtual behavior settings: an application of behavior setting
Theories to virtual communities. MCMC 9 (2) January 2004. Retrieved
February 20, 2009 from: http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol9/issue2/blanchard.html

Summary – An overview and discussion of CMC virtual communities in terms of what participant needs they fill, characteristics of their technology, theory of virtual behavior settings, participants in terms of the virtual behavior settings, and the types of members the behavior settings attract and the allowance of types such as leaders and participants.

Clippinger, Dr. J. Leadership. Retrieved February 11, 2009 from:
www.dodcrp.org/files/Leadership.pdf

Summary – A discussion of leadership in the context of “network leadership roles” such as “alpha member, gatekeeper, visionary, truth-teller, fixer, connector, enforcer and facilitator. Each role is examined within a networking framework.

Kelly, E., Davis, B., Nelson, J., and Mendoza, J. (2008) Leader emergence in an Internet
Environment ScienceDirect, Computers in Human Behavior 24 (2008), 2372-2383.
Doi:10.1016/jchb.2008.02.013. Retrieved February 20, 2009 from: www.sciencedirect.com

Summary – A look at how individual leadership emergence takes place within an Internet environment looking at technology tools such as emoticons, web-based initializations, and technical speak for the entities that predict leadership emergence vs. the normal verbal and nonverbal cues of face to face community contact.

Relationship to Thesis

The three articles are related to my thesis because they cover three foundational aspects of my paper, defining traditional networking leadership roles and their expected behaviors, recognized virtual communities behavior settings and the culmination of these two aspects for emergence of leadership within the Internet environment utilizing technology tools vs. the normally expected verbal and non-verbal cues for leadership.

Convergence and the Human GPS Factor

2009-02-16T12:48:00.000-08:00

Interesting article on how information collected via what we search, blog, whatever we do on the Internet and how it can be utilized in a detrimental fashion:

As Data Collecting Grows, Privacy Erodes

NOAM COHEN

Published: Monday, February 16, 2009 at 5:24 a.m.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20090216/ZNYT05/902163009/2193/SPORTS?Title=As_Data_Collecting_Grows__Privacy_Erodes

Convergence and the New Generation

2009-02-15T04:33:00.000-08:00

Carr Article

"Stupid is as Stupid does" is something Forrest Gump would say and the article by Carr seems to suggest that "stupid is what stupid doesn't do." Carr suggest that convergence of mediums is taking us on the fast track to changing our thinking process into becoming mindless autobots who thrive on the quick, convenient, skimming processes of the Internet while giving up the enjoyment and quality of older more formal mediums like reading a printed novel. He suggests that we've reduced quality while increasing quantity of our information input thus changing our brains thought process.

Audio Presentation

Cangialosi suggests that e-mail is the dominant medium and utilizing the social aspect of e-mail with the medium of Podcasting is the way to go for marketing a product, business, organization, etc. He believes convergence has caused the shifting of mediums, the old are still there but are improving by the demand that information become customized and individualized and all are integrating changing the notion of communication as we know it. It allows for greater expanse of audience to include customers, employees and the media.

Chaudhry
Discusses the influence blogs have in the political arena. Politicians are turning to blogs and those blogging to strengthen their ideals and elections.

Carr Article Key Points

The net is the most popular and utilized medium for information we gather. It is biological in nature by us seeing, hearing and thinking. The problem with this is it becomes the output of our intelligence making it mechanically influenced, step like, measurable and optimizable.
The Internet is changing our thought process of how we concentrate, comprehend, and think causing us to switch from quality of thought processes to quantity of information and the computer is the tool linked to this change in process.
The Internet is becoming the tool that is everything to us consuming our day and taking the place of other intellect tools we use like clock, newspaper, pen and paper, telephone, TV, radio and it goes on and on.

Cangialosi Key Points

E-mail is the dominant medium and it is important to maximize your marketing process by utilizing this social medium.
There is a shift in mediums that improve the existing, integrate them with the new and each other creating the shift to individualized and custom communication. He sees it as a pyramid as such:

Podcasting

Digital Text - Audio Video

Radio and TV Older Mediums

Podcasting allows the expansion of ones addition to include the press and media, customer, and even employees therefore any kind of business, organization or individual can utilize it. It enhances, expands, and amplifies the effects of marketing while allowing the individual producer of the podcast to be the inventor of it. It gives the ability for the individual person, organization or business to establish and brand themselves, gain a larger audience and keep a record or library of content concerning themselves.
Its utilization is for outreaching, educating, branding, building relationships with public and media, advertising, marketing, archiving, increasing effective communication and even training.

Chaudhry

Democrats embrace blogs to help with political success called "netroots."
The American public can blog anything they are thinking and feeling and the blogs represent democratic values as well as bringing about changes in society norms.
There is debate as to if blogs can influence all aspects of elections.
Blogs are considered the new social speaking medium.

Challenging Concepts

Carr Article

A challenging concept for me is how we will deal with the convergence concept while we keep the entities of thought process to provide quality and not just quantity. Teachers are already recognizing this in the next generation of students who write, read and think outside the box and differently causing it to be harder to teach them.

Cangialusi

The challenging concept here is the extent to which communication will evolve and become individualized, I'm wondering if there will be more innovators of communication than those who will listen. Then it will become saturated and just another thing that's there instead of the marketing giant they want it to be.

Chaudhry

Is there a challenge or social discourse amongst those who can and can not afford to be a part of the blogging society, is the influence then unbalanced and unfair?

Questions:

What are the ways folks notice the quantity vs quality of thought process in those around them both adults and children?
Will podcasting become the next yellow pages that talk?
Is it really feasible that politicians who utilize the blogs are being fair, unbiased and representing all their constituents?

Relationship to the real world is that I already notice the thought process change in my grandson, he'd much rather click the mouse quickly for pictures and info then spend the time sitting and improving his reading skills and he's only 6. Even though the older medium of print exists in the books and on paper, he wants the mouse for his pencil and the screen for his book.

Podcasting is available with the push of my computer button, after reading the article I encouraged my son to perhaps think of doing one for his business.

I personally read the Drudge, Politico, and Huffington during the campaign.

Convergence Emergence and Consequences of Action

2009-02-12T06:26:00.000-08:00

I saw this episode, the guy was indeed rude, obnoxious and down right insulting. Seems the convergence emergence has caught him in the act and expecting him to suffer the consequences.

Yahoo! TV Blog

Husbands Behaving Badly

By Lizbeth Scordo | Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 2:25 PM

Fowler's "Wife Swap" behavior has been criticized.

ABC

It's 2009, the end of a decade which -- when it comes to television -- was defined in large part by reality shows. By now, most of us reality fans have become a bit jaded. Backstabbing, catfights, rants, breakdowns - there's just not much shock value left anymore. So after Valleywag ran this story about public reaction to one man's behavior on (of all shows) "Wife Swap" a few weeks ago, it got me thinking about how this particular guy had disturbed and outraged so many people.

If you've never seen the show, it's a basic enough concept. Two women, usually from very different families and very different parts of the country, trade places and move in with each other's husbands and children for two weeks. The housewife swaps with the career woman. The mom of a sports-obsessed family moves in with a brood of bookworms. The hour is often filled with plenty of head-butting, but usually everyone goes back to the farm/penthouse/commune/mansion richer for the experience.

Even anti-Fowler t-shirts are being sold.

On the January 30th episode Gayla Long, a Missouri wife and mother of four whose family loves fast food, ATVs and paintball, swapped lives with life coach and weight-loss hypnotherapist Renee Stephens who lives in a tony San Francisco neighborhood, spends $40,000 a year to send her two young children to a French bilingual private school, and, along with her husband, is die-hard about environmental issues and staying healthy. Obviously, this wasn't going to be a match made in heaven, but things took an unexpectedly bad turn when Renee's British venture capitalist husband, Stephen Fowler, began acting downright cruel to Gayla. He continually humiliated her in front of his kids, insulted everything from her hometown to her language skills, told her he earns more in a week than she does in a year and even banned her from setting foot upstairs. One of the "Wife Swap" gimmicks is letting the wives implement new rules for their new homes (Renee, for example, put a moratorium on paintball and set up family French lessons), but bratty Stephen refused everything Gayla suggested, like letting the children ride go-carts and getting the family to sing the national anthem. After launching multiple attacks of verbal abuse against Gayla, it was Stephen who called in the show's producers to try to end the swap, eventually causing his temporary wife to move to a hotel.

Guess what? Viewers didn't like it. They blasted Fowler on all kinds of web sites, message boards, and blogs. He's been labeled the worst husband in the world and someone even posted his home address on a reality TV site, prompting an email threatening a lawsuit. Yet another angered viewer launched a blog called stephenfowlersucks.com, which itemizes everyone Fowler insulted during the episode. (Overweight people and military members topped the list.)

So back to that question of why this guy struck such a nerve with so many of us when we've surely seen similar or worse behavior on TV multiple times over. Maybe it's because his cruelty was so uncalled for. We reality viewers may be used to seeing people resort to bad behavior when, say, they're competing for a million-dollar prize or for the love of a big-haired '80s rocker, but just for the sheer joy of being as mean as possible and making someone feel horrible? Well, that's just taking it too far. In the end, it sounds like Stephen Fowler did indeed learn a few lessons, albeit after the cameras stopped rolling. He posted an apology on his wife's web site (editor's note: the site http://renee.personallifemedia.com now appears to be offline), and according to apologies she posted on her website, she's asked him to seek professional help. He has also reportedly resigned from the boards of two environmental non-profits so, he says, his behavior won't reflect badly on them. As for Gayla, she's probably thrilled to be done with her nightmarish foray into reality TV, and I'm certain she didn't leave her heart in San Francisco.

Talk About It: What are your thoughts on Stephen Fowler's behavior?

2009-02-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

Convergence Theory
Group – Theresa Marriott, Anjum Rasheed and Ayo Johnson

Convergence is the process that exposes and saturates new mediums of technology within all aspects of our lives. It enables the breakdown of the smaller social, technological, industrial and cultural boundaries already in place and consistently heightens the demand for new technologies.

If we look at convergence as process of new mediums that slowly trickle down and mesh with existing mediums we realize that the new coexists with the old and each finds its place. This coexistence produces saturation within the media audience. Technological advancements, our social structure, cultural behaviors and industrial demands become the layers that support the process. And because all are considered and influence demand the nature of convergence is highly cyclical.

Every consumer is introduced and able to contribute to the process and therefore, collective intelligence naturally occurs. As described in our text convergence becomes an extension of our five senses, is biological in behavior and demands communication so that everyone participates. This participative nature allows freedom of personal choice and therefore is a cause and effect in the production and consumption of not only goods and services but the new mediums as well.

An example would be advertising. We’ve had radio advertising for a relatively long period of time, and although competing with various newer forms of entertainment, it is now possible to Google a radio station on the computer, click a link and order the product right from your own home. The old medium is coexisting with the new with greater participatory action and directly creating the top down, bottom up process brought about by the process of convergence.

Knowledge Worth Spoiling

2009-02-07T11:20:00.000-08:00

Recap of Article and Book Chapter

Hilf's article introduces us to the ideology that all new mediums are based and standardized by the performance and existance of old mediums. He suggests that convergence shares elements while adding new elements and increasing value of mediums. I was especially interested in the idea that as the web emerged it became a comodity and therefore was expected to adhere to idustrial rules, however it has now evolved into a participative culture with 24/7 access and constant communication. It involves a massive amount of converged connections with techology as tool, and incorporates all the senses while maintaining the historical foundations. It is his suggestion that we breakaway from if it works don't fix it mentality and allow the web to evolve and formulate change on its own.

Jenkins takes us into the fascinating converged world of the spoiling community and emphasizes points utilizing facets of how they operate. This sharing of collective intelligence is a formadiable force in its own right and has the ability to not only drive industry but change lives. It is paticipation of a mass scale drawing and pulling individuals into ivoking the utilizaiton of all their senses and bridging emotional ties through the printed on-line media.

The following article further discusses this war with Lost in the drive of industry, promoters vs. spoiling community members:

Spoiler Wars Heat Up as Lost Returns
http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2009/01/new-lost-season.html

Key Ideas

Article -

Converging continues to exist, is on-going, and a convergence of historical and shared elements (p. 1)
It is a participative entity that incorporates technical, social, industrial and personal aspects of our culture (p. 2 & 7).
Technology remains the tool driving the large amounts of distribution of mass media creating massive amounts of connections and drawing us biologically and emotionally into its world and suggests for this reason we should let the web become its own entity that doesn't rely on the past historical mediums for guidance (p. 7-9).

Book Chapter-

The ability for sharing collective knowledge (intelligence) creates a democratic atmosphere and empowers anyone to participate through a social process which meets emotional and intellectural needs of the members. (p.29,54, 57)
The internet becomes a way that allows you to talk back to the TV so to speak by providing the means to discuss, argue, suggest, debate, critique and become part of the industry (p.26).
Shared intelligence via the net is a reciprocal sharing of knowledge and producing of knowledge (p.27).

Challenging Concepts

I would like to have more understanding concerning convergence in relation to revenue models and how and why it is reinvented through maturing of media as mentioned by Hilf.

I found this article as a start:

http://www.ismretail.com/index.php?option=com_jambozine&layout=article&view=page&aid=7207&Itemid=56

Henry Jenkins mentioned the fact that providing information without concerning oneself with other's preferences is somewhat totalitarian in demension. I would like to understand that statement with more clarity.

Discussion Questions for Class

Does collaboration exists with spoiling communities not only between participative members but perhaps an understanding also between producers and members as to what goes beyond ethics?

What role if any does ethics play in an on-line spoiler community?

What are the specific emotional needs met by participating as a member on these communities?

Real World Related-

The book chapter especially had direct relation for me. I was and still am a member of a fan spoiling board for the now cancelled show Roswell. At the time of its hey day we participated in direct sharing of collective knowledge while at the same time making friends. Today it is more a social outlet but it endures.

Caught in the Convergence Pull

2009-02-01T14:04:00.000-08:00

The Cultural Paradox of the Global Village discusses internet immersion and the ability of the medium to surround and pull us in from all directions. Internet has become a culture today and even if we don’t have it, we are surrounded and affected by it. It also discusses the created identity we have in cyberspace due to the bits and pieces of our selves we share with companies, etc. It stresses the importance of realizing that Internet is a “digitization” of who we are and there are no guarantees that this identity is one that we want. In turn, we can create any identity we want in cyberspace and unlike face to face connections, people don’t know if the cyber person is the real one.

The points that stood out in Cultural Paradox of Global Village are:

“The nature of medium is known by its effect on us and on society” this includes both seen and unseen (children acting violent from interacting with violent games, etc.).

TV comes to us unlike Internet which drawls us to it and immerses us in its world (our concentration experience becomes immersed into the Internet world).
Internet is the here and now and creates the ability for “simultaneous relationships” – we can not, not participate.

Cyberspace becomes an extension of our identities, “digiSelf”
Convergence Culture discusses “convergence” as an overall process to describe how individuals, society, business, etc. all adapt and discover utilization for the new media and how connection is weaved from people to mediums and from mediums to mediums and back again.

For me the points that stood out in Convergence culture are:

Convergence is both “a top-down corporate-driven process and a bottom-up consumer-driven process” (p.18).

“Convergence culture represents a shift in the ways we think about our relations to media” – this may very well shape how we represent ourselves in all social and personal processes.

Convergence is the process we utilize to transform and transition ourselves to the new media operation and processes.

Challenge with this weeks reading:

The challenge for me with this weeks readings was taking the time to see how a connection is weaved between self, Internet and all mediums. It very much reminds me of a spider-web, the internet being the spider, the web the connections to all other mediums and I the victim caught up in it all. For me I was just aware of perhaps one small part of the web. The readings have started my thought process on just how much in my life and others may be influenced by the Internet.
Suggested Questions:

To what extent should we make ourselves aware of the webbed connection between life cultures (political, social, etc.) and us turning on the computer?

How does convergence influence business and within this concept, is there a danger of dealing with artificial DigiSelfs representing business instead of the real deal and vice a versa?

Relating to the Real World:

Considering the readings and the idea that convergence is both “a top-down corporate-driven process and a bottom-up consumer-driven process” (p.18). I just had to reference the Superbowl and the massive amounts of corporate money spent to reach out to consumers and draw us into the world of commercialism and buying product. These commercials will be the buzz long after the Superbowl and they’ve actually become a family past time to pick the best (at least in our house), they are blogged about, reshow via computer, etc. a total process of convergence and example of top-down corporate bottom-up consumer ideology.

NBC sells out Super Bowl ads for record $206M

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090131/D962BAF00.html

Homework Questions for Introduction, Convergence Culture

1. What is convergence? Why does the author dismiss the understanding of convergence as a technological process? How does the technological process make convergence possible on the other hand? Please use some examples in your life to illustrate the convergence process.

The flow of content across multiple media platforms; because he feels it includes industrial, cultural and social entities and by providing a distribution tool. Please see my first blog for my hands-on example of the convergence experience.

2. Why does the author claim that convergence is “an old concept taking on new meanings” on page 6? Is the new media going to replace the old media? How does the concept of convergence play out in the relationship between the new and old media?

Because old and new mediums mix and work together, newspapers now provide on-line editions for quick and easy access and envir0onmental friendly choices; change in production and consumption of medium.

3. Please use some examples to discuss how participatory culture helps drive the process of convergence.

While doing my homework, I’m typing, blogging, researching, answering my telephone, having the TV playing and having conversation with family members. We participate in every aspect of our lives. As individuals we are constantly communicating and utilizing all types of media to do it. Toy manufactures make toys based on movies, games are created and sold or accessed on the internet for the same movie, blogs are created to discuss the movies, etc.

4. On page 15, the author cites the report from Cheskin Research, “…What we are now seeing is the hardware diverging while the content converges.” Please use the media ownership concentration happening in today’s society to discuss how the media conglomerates take advantage of convergence.

Movies are not just on the big screen anymore, they are accessed and marketed through TV, computers, newspapers, etc. I in turn after being exposed comment on, start a blog, write a fan fiction, etc. and become part of the web. They take advantage of reaching the largest width possible of geographic region to gain the greatest number of consumers they can to their product.

5. Convergence also takes place in our every-day life besides in the media industry. We are in the age of convergence culture. How do we define convergence culture?

For me it’s being connected at any time to anything; from e-mail to my cell phone.

Questions for Cultural Paradox article

1. What is the “intriguing paradox” the author refers to?

The digitalization of us, the consumer; it is becoming so entwined with our lives.

2. According to this article, how is the internet often compared to TV, and how are they different?

The material looks like TV Internet movies, news, shows, etc., however they differ because the Internet is global and connects us all with shared information. TV is individual and individualized at the moment and does not allow us to share information while it’s being shared with us.

3. Discuss what the author means by television’s centripetal force and the Internet’s centrifugal force?

TV brings society event toward us as viewer, the Internet takes us into the world of cyberspace - we go out there.

4. What does the author mean by DigiSelf, and how is it related to the Greek Narcissus myth identified by McLuhan?

The extension of our identity into cyberspace, databases, and my space type pages, etc. This identity can be totally different then our physical identity. We can create our own identity in cyberspace. It relates to the consequences of our extension of self into other mediums above our physical selves and it can disrupt lives.

5. Comment on the following: “Like acoustic space we cannot shut out the effects of the Internet on our culture and society even if we choose not to use it.”

It is all around us, everywhere we go, even if we don’t personally own it; we can’t not be exposed to and influenced by it.

Fan Power

2009-01-31T13:33:00.000-08:00

I very much enjoyed the Intro reading for this week and on page 22 Jenkins discuses how convergence is a representation of the shift in how we as individuals think about how we personally relate to the media.

For me this is absolutely true. A few years back I very much enjoyed a TV show Roswell, discovered a fan forum page and thread for it, joined, met folks, shared ideas, thoughts, comments, spoilers, wound up even taking a trip to CA to go to a party where I met some of the stars and have pictures to prove it. Through this digital experience I've gained some very good friends and experienced a unique personal experience from TV to digital internet.

The most interesting thing however is, that our group influenced the "top-down corporate-driven process and bottom-up consumer-driven process" mentioned on Page 18 of Jenkins text when we sent a massive amount of bottles of tabasco sauce to the corporate executives of the show so it wouldn't be cancelled and it ran for an additional year. They finally begged us to stop sending the bottles of tabasco sauce. They donated the sauce to charitable organizations but gave in to our internet generated fan demands.

I am fascinated to learn how much influence fan groups can generate.

Link to Forum: http://www.fanforum.com/f12/

Great Interview with Jenkins:
http://hot.carleton.ca/hot-topics/articles/jenkins-interview/