Evaluating Information Network Utilization and Electronic Communication in Enterprises

In this paper, we develop and test methods for evaluating information network utilization and electronic communication in enterprises. First, we present a holistic model for evaluating the e-level (level of electronic information network utilization) of a company. The model consists of seven factors: communication, integrity, presence, strategy, resources, business operations, and networks. The managers of 71 companies evaluated their companies’ use of electronic network by completing a web questionnaire with 21 questions (three for each factor) developed based on the model. The analysis of the data showed that the developed methods were successful in eliciting both differences and correlations between the different factors for the participating companies. The results of a subsequent questionnaire showed that the company representatives evaluated both the model and the questionnaire as mainly successful. Second, we developed methods for further examining the communication functions of enterprises. The managers of 52 companies successfully evaluated their companies’ electronic communications using a questionnaire, which studies the use of different communication technologies systematically on three factors: internal vs. external communication, office vs. mobile use, and synchronous vs. asyncronous communication. We suggest that both the developed methods are useful for individual company managers and regional developers providing support services to enterprises.