A1 Journal article (refereed)
Slacking with the Bot : Programmable Social Bot in Virtual Team Interaction (2021)

Laitinen, K., Laaksonen, S.-M., & Koivula, M. (2021). Slacking with the Bot : Programmable Social Bot in Virtual Team Interaction. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 26(6), 343-361. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmab012

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Laitinen, Kaisa; Laaksonen, Salla-Maaria; Koivula, Minna

Journal or series: Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication

eISSN: 1083-6101

Publication year: 2021

Publication date: 19/08/2021

Volume: 26

Issue number: 6

Pages range: 343-361

Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jcmc/zmab012

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/77663

Abstract

Nonhuman communicators are challenging the prevailing conceptualizations of technology-mediated team communication. Slackbot is a social bot that can be configured to respond to trigger words and, thus, take part in discussions on the platform. A set of 84 bot-related communication episodes were identified from a journalistic team’s Slack messages (N = 45,940) and analyzed utilizing both qualitative content analysis and interaction process analysis (IPA). This integrated mixed-methods analysis revealed novel insights into the micro-level dynamics of human–machine communication in organizational teams. In response to Slackbot’s greetings, acclamations, work-related messages, and relational messages, we identified how the team members respond to the bot, discuss it, and summon it to appear on the platform. Further, the IPA revealed that the bot-related communication episodes are shaped by the bot’s responses toward more socioemotional and personal functions. Findings suggest that a team-configured social bot can manifest and facilitate relational team communication.

Keywords: network communication; organisational communication and public relations; teamwork; facilitation; chatbots

Contributing organizations

Related projects

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2021

JUFO rating: 3