As people everywhere are becoming more connected 3. How have smartphones transformed the way in technologically, are they becoming increasingly discon- which college students communicate? nected interpersonally? 4. Do you think that as people become more con- Discussion Questions nected technologically they become less connected interpersonally? Why or why not? 1. Can the basic interpersonal communication model be used as an aid in understanding the impact of SOURCE: This case was written by Michael K. McCuddy, The Louis S. and smartphone usage? If so, how? Mary L. Morgal Chair of Christian Business Ethics and Professor of Man- agement, College of Business, Valparaiso University. 2. How have smartphones transformed the way in which business people communicate with regard to fulfilling their job responsibilities? Chapter 8 Case References 1. A. Athavaley, "The New BlackBerry Addicts; Ubiquitous Professional 7. Anonymous, "College Kids Often Feel Guilty About Texting in Class: Device Becomes Staple of Private Lie; Emailing the Kids' Coach," The Survey; Half feel bad about messaging when it's banned, but two- Wall Street Journal (Eastern edition: January 23, 2001): D1. thirds do it," HealthDay News, http:/ews.health.com/201 1/02/25/ 2. Ibid. college-kids-ofte-feel-guilty-about-texting-in-class-survey/ (accessed 3. E.D. Wagner and P. Wilson, "Disconnected," T + D 59(12) (December June 17, 2011). 2005): 40 (4 pages). 8. B. Pachter, "Mind Your Business Manners: Etiquette Suggestions for Suc- 4. N. Wingfield, "Technology (A Special Report); Why It May Be Time to cess," CPA Practice Management Forum 6(5) (May 2010): 16 (3 pages). Leave the Laptop Behind; For More Mobile Workers, Phone Increas 9. J. De Avila, "The Unused Cellphone App: 'Calling'," The Wall Street ingly Give Them Much of What They Need-With a Lot Less Hassle," Journal (Eastern edition: February 24, 2010): D1. The Wall Street Journal (Eastern edition: October 27, 2008): R4. 10. J. Zaslow, "Keeping Your Foot Away From Your Mouth," The Wall 5. Ibid. Street Journal (Eastern edition: July 7, 2010): D1. 6. J. De Avila, "The Unused Cellphone App: "Calling'," The Wall Street 11. A. Chapin, "Wired CEOs Learn to Tune Out, Turn Off," Canadian Journal (Eastern edition: February 24, 2010): D1. Business 84(1) (Summer 2011): 127. CHAPTER 8 COMMUNICATION 313 Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be copied, scanned. or duplicated. in whole or in part. Due to electronic rights, some third party content may be suppressed from the cBook and/or cChapter(s). Editorial review has deemed that any suppressed content does not materially affect the overall learning experience. Cengage Learning reserves the right to remove additional content at any time if subsequent rights restrictions require it.CHAPTER 8 Smart Phones: Promoting Communication Connectedness or Disconnectedness? In early 2007, Aniali Athavaley, writing in The Wall Street journal, observed that \"[w]ireless email devices used to be largely the domain of harried executives and professionals. Now, the so-called CrackBerry effect is beginning to afflict the masses. The BlackBerry has be- come ingrained in daily life, much like the cellphone and computer.\"1 Indeed, since this observation was penned, smartphones, like the BlackBerry, have become ubiqui- tous in the general population. People from all walks of life, young and old, all socioeconomic strata, etc., have embraced the potential of smartphones for communi- cating with others, searching for information, doing work, playing games, and a myriad other applications. \"[E]veryone from stay-at-home parents to college stu- dents is depending on BlackBerrys or similar . . . devices for basic daily tasks, such as checking sports scores, find- ing directions, emailing the children's baseball coach and keeping in up-to-the-minute touch with friends.\"2 \"They are talking on mobile phones, checking email on hand- held computers or integrated communicators, or getting an instant or a text message on either device. Some are listening to music and playing games on personal game consoles, while others are checking sports scores, watch- ing replays, or even making dinner reservations. No matter age, gender, national identity, or socioeconomic status, broad mobile device adoption seems to know no bounds.\"3 Smartphones, like the BlackBerry have numerous potential applications. Nick Wingfield, writing in The Wall Street journal, notes that \"mobile workers have been ditching their desktop computers for laptops that they can take wherever they go. Now road warriors are starting to realize that they can get even more por- tabilityand lots of computing punchfrom [S]mart [P]hones.\"4 Many business \"travelers are now using [S]mart [P]hones the way they once used laptopsand laptops the way they once used desktop computers,\" and some traveling business people are even \"ditching their laptops entirely and doing all their mobile work from [S]mart [P]hones.\"5 With the increased popularity of smartphones and all they can do to facilitate communications, they have undermined verbal communication and 312 promoted incivility in the communications process. \"[F]riends hardly call each other. People resist pro- tocols that call for verbal communication. . . . People don't like using their phones to make calls or listen to voice mails.\"6 Texting seems to be the preferred mode, especially for younger people, when communi- cating with others. Among college students, texting is a dominant form of communication, and as most any college student knows, texting goes on at inappropriate times. For instance, tex- ting during classeven when it's not allowedis a com- mon occurrence. \"In a survey of 1,043 college students at the University of New Hampshire, almost half said they feel guilty about texting during class when it's not allowed. Even so, texting is quite common: 65 percent said they send at least one text message during a typical class.\"7 \"People calling, texting and responding to e-mails at inappropriate times and places have become an issue in both a professional and business context.\"8 Joseph De Avila, reporting for The Wall Street journal, notes peo- ple have a pervasive expectation that they have instant access to email, and rapid replies to one's messages are expected? Incivility in interpersonal communication is mani- fested in the level of empathy that people display to- ward each other. \"Recent research has shown a marked decline in empathy. . . .A new University of Michigan study finds that empathy among college students has declined 40% in the past two decades. Researchers say one factor may be our reliance on social media. We're more apt to be empathetic when we communicate face to face.\"10 Yet some backlash is occurring to the pull of tech- nological connectivity. \"In an increasingly connected world, some CEOs prefer to kick it old school, avoiding the short attention span that comes with being plugged in. They have assistants that handle all their communica- tion, prefer reading printed out e-mails, and don't dip their toes in any social media. That level of isolation is unrealistic for most executives, but learning when to connect and when to disconnect is essential in today's business culture?\" PART 3 INTEFIPEFISONAL PROCESSES AND BEHAVIOR Copying!\" an: Ccngugc Letulllllg All Rights Rem-ed. May lust be copied. scanned. or duplicated. in Va'l'll m u. pun. Due (oclcctrwm: rlghls. some thlrd party content may be suppmmd (mm mt- enact); undJm canpicm). Editorial review has sci-mm mm {my mum-m utmtcm sm- not materially urrm um nveuli imrning experience. [engage Li-ummg mum mi- right [a mom: additional unmcm at any limo lfiu'h-Joquenl rights mun-[ions lcqnim ll