A Discussion of Key Conceptual Elements of E-Collaboration

Abstract

This chapter defines e-collaboration, and provides a historical glimpse at how and when e-collaboration emerged. The discussion suggests that the emergence of ecollaboration had more to do with military considerations than with the solution of either organizational or broad societal problems. It is also argued that e-collaboration, as an area of research and industrial development, is broader than what is often referred to as computer-mediated communication. The chapter concludes with a discussion of six key conceptual elements of e-collaboration: (1) the collaborative task, (2) the e-collaboration technology, (3) the individuals involved in the collaborative task, (4) the mental schemas possessed by the individuals, (5) the physical environment surrounding the individuals, and (6) the social environment surrounding the individuals.