Understanding Methodological Differences to Study Convergence in Group Support System Sessions

摘要

While previous research has studied the process of group divergence extensively, little studies have been published regarding the process of group convergence. Therefore, this research answers a call for more research on group convergence to establish a better understanding of this critical group process. The goal of this study is to answer a methodological question: Does the idea set that a group processes during a convergence activity supported with a Group Support System have to be pre-defined or should it be generated by the group itself? The results of our lab experiment suggest that the results of the convergence process are not significantly affected by whether or not participants use pre-defined ideas or generate their own. This finding has implications for experimental design in collaboration research and participant selection and session design within organizations.