| This dissertation explores the social aspects of telework, including various approaches to telecommuting and mobile work, in the household and organization. The research focuses on the role of information and communication technologies such as e-mail in shaping patterns of telework. Through an in-depth, embedded case study of two organizations and their members, this project explores the way in which organizational members negotiate the shifting boundaries of “home” and “work,” the way in which organizational knowledge is communicated among members of a dispersed organization, and the threats to traditional modes of management and supervision posed by remote work. These cases suggest that telework is socially shaped both in the household and the organization, but also finds that technical change has implications for how telework is organized and negotiated in the workplace and household. A “Telework Strategy Framework” is suggested which identifies the themes of structure, culture, technology and geography as central to research and practice in this arena. An extensive review of the literature covers various aspects of telework, such as transportation implications, measurement and definitional issues, and productivity. Suggestions for future research are offered. |
