An Empirical Examination of the Impact of Wireless Local Area Networks on Organization of Users

In recent years, the concept of nomadic computing has received considerable attention from the business community. As an early form of nomadic information environment (NIE), wireless local area network (WLAN) has gained tremendous popularity with organizations. Using mostly anecdotal evidences, WLAN equipment manufacturers and practitioners claimed that WLAN brought dramatic improvements in the forms of productivity gains and attainment of convenience, flexibility, mobility, and time saving to organizations and their employees. However, very little academic research has been conducted to verify these claims and further our understanding of this new phenomenon. By surveying end users and managers, this study investigates the impact of WLAN on users and their work. Finally, recommendations to researchers, managers, WLAN technology providers, and equipment manufacturers also are provided.