Faculty Use and Perceptions of Electronic Mail: A Case Study

Abstract

Electronic mail is changing the way businesses and universities process information, but little research exists on the impact of university e-mail systems. This study investigated e-mail use in a business school at a public university before and after the installation of a local area network. After the installation, the average number of accesses, the time spent accessing, and the average number of messages increased. Positive perceptions about e-mail pertain to speed, reliability, and paper reduction. Negative perceptions indicate a lack of user friendliness and clear instructions. Departments teaching computer-related courses use e-mail slightly more often than do other departments.