Hybrid toolboxes: Conceptual and empirical analysis of blending patterns in application of hybrid media

Abstract

Hybrid media concepts, i.e. especially combinations of face‐to‐face instruments and electronic media, represent a standard in many fields of application for quite a long time. Such combinations of diverse, and thus hybrid instruments are meanwhile quite commonly used, for example, in marketing, in retail business, for communication in virtual enterprises, in internal communication processes, in human resource development and in higher education. By combining strengths of two or more media and by mutually compensating their weaknesses, hybrid media concepts aim at enhancing performance with respect to effectiveness and efficiency. So far, however, scientific discussion lacks a common understanding of the architecture of hybrid media concepts as well as empirical evidence on the application of hybrid media in practice. Hence, it is unclear to what extent the performance potential of hybrid media concepts is utilized in different application fields and what the drivers of the use and performance of hybrid media concepts are. This article presents and discusses both a conceptualization of hybrid media in terms of diversity, proportions and coupling of hybrid concepts and empirical evidence on hybrid media concepts in two typical application fields: internal communication in change management and blended learning in higher education.

Santrauka

Jau gana seniai hibridine žiniasklaida, t. y. tiesioginio bendravimo priemones ir elektronine žiniasklaida, paplitusi daugelyje veiklos sričiu. Ivairūs hibridines žiniasklaidos priemoniu deriniai dažnai naudojami marketinge, mažmenineje prekyboje, virtualiuju imoniu veikloje, vidaus komunikacijos procesuose, žmogiškuju ištekliu pletros ir aukštojo mokslo srityse. Derinant dvi ar daugiau žniasklaidos priemones, sustiprinami ju privalumai ir kompensuojami trūkumai. Taigi hibridine žiniasklaida yra veiksmingesne. Tačiau iki šiol trūksta mokslines diskusijos apie hibridines žiniasklaidos koncepcijas, ju praktini taikyma. Taigi nera aišku, kokiu mastu naudojamos hibridines žiniasklaidos priemones ir kas yra ju naudotojai. Straipsnyje pateikiamos hibridines žiniasklaidos koncepcijos ir ju praktinio taikymo pavyzdžiai vidaus ryšiu valdymo ir aukštojo mokslo srityse.

Keywords:

• Hybrid media concepts
• hybrid management concepts
• blended learning
• electronic communication
• change management
• e‐learning
• higher education

Reikšminiai žodžiai:

• hibridines žiniasklaidos koncepcijos
• hibridinio valdymo koncepcijos
• mišrus mokymasis
• elektroninis komunikavimas
• pokyčiu valdymas
• e. mokymasis
• aukštasis mokslas