Technology, culture and persuasiveness: a study of choice-shifts in group settings

It is demonstrated that the process of decision making in groups varies in terms of persuasive arguments exchanged as a function of the interaction between the medium of communication and the cultural setting in which the decision is attempted.

Abstract

In this paper we examine the impact of technology and culture and their interaction on the process and outcomes of group decision making. The conceptual foundation for this research draws on three domains: GSS, cross-cultural and group polarization. This paper uses the theory of persuasive arguments for studying group behavior in a computer-mediated, cross-cultural setting. Our findings illustrate that group decisions are a function of the medium of communication and the cultural setting in which the decision is attempted. In addition, the protocol analysis conducted demonstrates that the process of decision making in groups varies in terms of persuasive arguments exchanged as a function of the interaction between the medium of communication and the cultural setting observed. These results have both theoretical and practical implications for GSS research.