A recent discussion on the NewWOW site centered around the question, "is the density of communication among colleagues in an organization based on physical proximity?" This was sparked by a research study, “Using Prediction Markets to Track Information Flows: Evidence from Google, which. In the study, researchers determined “physical proximity” by using GPS data that measured “the precise latitude and longitude of employees’ offices. It then tracked the way information traveled through the company. Several members and colleagues have joined in with their observations.
Excerpts from the conversation:
Initial post: I find it hard to believe that this density of communication is not at least moving more toward the virtual, given the presence of ubiquitous connectivity and people becoming more and more accustomed to interacting across physical boundaries.
Response: My own experience and observations are that those who have common interests or are working on the same project communicate, whether proximate or distant; and that proximity can make quick communication easier, but distance is no longer a particular barrier.
Another post: I might suggest that the culture of a company determines the communication density more than proximity. This translates across physical and virtual venues which are each informed by interpersonal relationships.
Still another contributor: I believe an entire generation (or two!) have figured out ways to build significant relationships with people that they rarely, if ever, see. In this case, trust is built through whole new ways of interacting, unconfined by the need to be with others *at the same time, in the same place.
Post #1:
