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Electronic Brainstorming: The Illusion of Productivity

Author

Listed:
  • Alain Pinsonneault

    (McGill University, 1001 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1G5)

  • Henri Barki

    (École des Hautes Études Commerciales, IT Department, 3000 Chemin de la Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, Canada H3T 2A7)

  • R. Brent Gallupe

    (School of Business, Queens' University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6)

  • Norberto Hoppen

    (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Au João Pessoa, 52-Sala 11, Porto Alegre, Brazil)

Abstract

Electronic brainstorming (EBS) has been proposed as a superior approach to both nominal brainstorming (working alone) and face-to-face brainstorming (verbal). However, existing empirical evidence regarding EBS's superiority over nominal brainstorming is weak. Through a comprehensive examination of the process gains and process losses inherent to different brainstorming approaches, this paper explains past results. The paper also suggests that the process gain versus process loss advantages of EBS technologies may not be large enough to enable EBS groups to outperform nominal groups. In an effort to find alternate ways of using EBS more productively, three conditions thought to increase EBS's process gains and decrease its process losses (thus improving its productivity) are identified. A laboratory experiment designed to compare the productivity of ad hoc and established groups using four brainstorming technologies (nominal, EBS-anonymous, EBS-nonanonymous, verbal), generating ideas on socially sensitive and less sensitive topics, in the presence and absence of contextual cues, is then described. The results of the experiment showed that overall, groups using nominal brainstorming significantly outperformed groups using the other three brainstorming approaches. Further, even under conditions thought to be favorable to EBS, nominal brainstorming groups were at least as productive as EBS groups. The paper explains these results by suggesting that the process gains of EBS may not be as large as expected and that the presence of four additional process losses inherent to EBS technologies impair its productivity. It is also argued that the prevailing popularity of group brainstorming (verbal or electronic) in organizations may be explained by the perceived productivity of those approaches. These perceptions, which are at odds with reality, create the illusion of productivity. A similar misperception may also cause an illusion of EBS productivity in the research community, especially when perceptual measures of group performance are used.

Suggested Citation

  • Alain Pinsonneault & Henri Barki & R. Brent Gallupe & Norberto Hoppen, 1999. "Electronic Brainstorming: The Illusion of Productivity," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 10(2), pages 110-133, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:inm:orisre:v:10:y:1999:i:2:p:110-133
    DOI: 10.1287/isre.10.2.110
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. David S. Kerr & Uday S. Murthy, 2004. "Divergent and Convergent Idea Generation in Teams: A Comparison of Computer-Mediated and Face-to-Face Communication," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 381-399, July.
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    5. D Shaw & F Ackermann & C Eden, 2003. "Approaches to sharing knowledge in group problem structuring," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 54(9), pages 936-948, September.
    6. William B. Martz & Morgan M. Shepherd, 2004. "Group Consensus: The Impact of Multiple Dialogues," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 13(4), pages 315-325, July.
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    9. Russell Haines & Jill Hough & Lan Cao & Douglas Haines, 2014. "Anonymity in Computer-Mediated Communication: More Contrarian Ideas with Less Influence," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 765-786, July.
    10. Ann-Frances Cameron & Jane Webster, 2013. "Multicommunicating: Juggling Multiple Conversations in the Workplace," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(2), pages 352-371, June.
    11. L White, 2006. "Evaluating problem-structuring methods: developing an approach to show the value and effectiveness of PSMs," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 57(7), pages 842-855, July.
    12. Pawel Weichbroth, 2016. "Facing the Brainstorming Theory. A Case of Requirements Elicitation," GUT FME Working Paper Series A 42, Faculty of Management and Economics, Gdansk University of Technology.
    13. Antonio Ferreira & Pedro Antunes & Valeria Herskovic, 2011. "Improving Group Attention: An Experiment with Synchronous Brainstorming," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 20(5), pages 643-666, September.
    14. B Casu & D Shaw & E Thanassoulis, 2005. "Using a group support system to aid input–output identification in DEA," Journal of the Operational Research Society, Palgrave Macmillan;The OR Society, vol. 56(12), pages 1363-1372, December.
    15. Bruce A. Reinig & Robert O. Briggs, 2008. "On The Relationship Between Idea-Quantity and Idea-Quality During Ideation," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 17(5), pages 403-420, September.
    16. Balagué, Christine & de Valck, Kristine, 2013. "Using Blogs to Solicit Consumer Feedback: The Role of Directive Questioning Versus No Questioning," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 62-73.
    17. Kerr, David S. & Murthy, Uday S., 2009. "Beyond brainstorming: The effectiveness of computer-mediated communication for convergence and negotiation tasks," International Journal of Accounting Information Systems, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 245-262.
    18. Trotman, Ken T. & Bauer, Tim D. & Humphreys, Kerry A., 2015. "Group judgment and decision making in auditing: Past and future research," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 56-72.
    19. Brian Whitworth & Brent Gallupe & Robert McQueen, 2000. "A Cognitive Three-Process Model of Computer-Mediated Group Interaction," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 9(5), pages 431-456, September.
    20. Colin Eden & Fran Ackermann, 2001. "Group Decision and Negotiation in Strategy Making," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 10(2), pages 119-140, March.
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    22. Lorenz Graf-Vlachy & Katharina Buhtz & Andreas König, 2018. "Social influence in technology adoption: taking stock and moving forward," Management Review Quarterly, Springer, vol. 68(1), pages 37-76, February.

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