Is mobile email functional or dysfunctional? Two perspectives on mobile email usage

Abstract

This paper offers a study of contradiction in the usage of mobile email. Using qualitative data, the paper identifies mobile email usage patterns that are dangerous, distracting, anti-social and that infringe on work-life boundaries. Mobile email users were forthcoming in describing these dysfunctional usage patterns, but they made a convincing argument that their mobile devices are highly functional and allow them to be efficient, to multitask without disruption to others, and to respond immediately to messages, as well as offering them the freedom to work from anywhere. These dual perspectives on mobile email (dys)functionality are explored through a metaphorical lens, showing how organisational cultures can reinforce the functional perspective while simultaneously suppressing the dysfunctional view. It is argued that it is important to understand and explore the dysfunctional perspective of mobile email adoption. The paper concludes with a series of questions that challenge organisations to reflect critically on their assumptions about mobile email usage.

Keywords:

• mobility
• electronic mail
• handheld devices
• BlackBerry
• psychic prison

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. We thank the guest editors, anonymous reviewers and our colleague Ojelanki Ngwenyama for their assistance in revising this paper. Eva Woyzbun provided editorial support.

Notes

1 1 The term Crackberry will have an entry in the next edition of the Oxford Canadian Dictionary: ‘a nickname for a BlackBerry portable email device because of its addictive qualities’ (Laucius, 2005).

2 2 A shutdown was avoided when RIM and NTP settled their patent dispute in March 2006.

3 3 We acknowledge the gender imbalance among participants and intend to rectify it in future research. This analysis does not consider the impact of gender.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Catherine A Middleton

About the authors

Catherine Middleton is an Associate Professor in the School of Information Technology Management at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. Her research considers the social implications of broadband internet and mobile technology adoption. Catherine maintains a research portal at www.broadbandresearch.ca. She is a member of the Editorial Board of New Media and Society.

Wendy Cukier

Wendy Cukier is Associate Dean of the Faculty of Business and Professor at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. She researches emerging trends, critical perspectives and discourses of technology. She is active in a number of professional associations and a judge with the Canadian Information Productivity awards.