Battiston, Diego, Blanes i Vidal, Jordi 
ORCID: 0009-0002-9237-2049 and Kirchmaier, Thomas ORCID: 0000-0002-8938-2206
(2017)
Is distance dead? Face-to-face communication and productivity in teams.
CEP Discussion Papers (CEPDP1473).
London School of Economics and Political Science. Centre for Economic Performance, London, UK.
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Abstract
Has technology made face-to-face communication redundant? We investigate using a natural experiment in an organisation where a worker must communicate complex electronic information to a colleague. Productivity is higher when the teammates are (exogenously) in the same room and, inside the room, when their desks are closer together. We establish face-to-face communication as the main mechanism, and rule out alternative channels such as higher effort by co-located workers. The effect is stronger for urgent and complex tasks, for homogeneous workers, and for high pressure conditions.We highlight the opportunity costs of face-to-face communication and their dependence on organisational slack.
| Item Type: | Monograph (Discussion Paper) |
|---|---|
| Official URL: | http://cep.lse.ac.uk/ |
| Additional Information: | © 2017 The Authors |
| Divisions: | Management Centre for Economic Performance |
| Subjects: | H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Jul 2017 09:50 |
| Last Modified: | 13 Sep 2024 20:38 |
| Funders: | Economic and Social Research Council |
| URI: | http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/83603 |
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