Online vs. Face-to-Face

Lately I have been thinking about how technology is continually integrating itself into our daily lives. As a couple of examples, consider the new Facebook Home app for smartphones, or Google Glass. Ostensibly, these innovations are meant to enrich our lives and help us connect with people, but, more often than not, they distract us from the people who are right next to us. Also, we seem to be under the impression that our online persona is a shield or a mask of anonymity—we are bolder, doing and saying things we would never do or say in “real life.” We think no one but our friends can see us, but what about potential employers? Many bosses are starting to screen applicants based on what they find on Facebook and other social media. Additionally, technology has firmly integrated itself into the fabric of business, allowing professionals from all over the world to collaborate with people they have never seen in person. In this blog post, I would like to explore some of the advantages and disadvantages of this last phenomenon.

Advantages. There are many obvious and important advantages to being able to meet with another professional in cyberspace. First, meeting in cyberspace saves money. With an internet connection and a decent computer system, anyone can meet—no matter how far away they are. This saves the travel budget. Second, meeting on the internet allows companies to broaden their horizons and expand into markets formerly closed to them because of distance. Third, meeting online saves time. Aside from monetary cost, there is a time cost to travel, and online meetings can cut that 15-hour trans-Pacific flight into comparatively nothing. Fourth, online meetings allow for more flexibility than face-to-face ones do. For a few more advantages, see this website.

Disadvantages. There is a flip side to every coin, however, and this is no exception. Consider an experience I had this past semester while taking an online course. Our class had met once, briefly, at the beginning of the semester so the professor could explain and clarify a few things. The class was meant to be interactive, and included a group project at the end of the semester. When my group was assigned, a few people tried to get the project moving, but to no avail. Our efforts seemed vague and directionless. Having never met each other in person (the brief meeting at the beginning didn’t really count), we had less patience with each other and were less motivated to complete the project than we probably would have otherwise. It wasn’t until we met in person that we were able to get on the same page. I can’t speak for the other members of my group, but I missed the unity of purpose and the clarity that a real live face-to-face meeting brings.  

Really, my only objection to holding online meetings is the lack of connection and the creativity that a live group discussion brings. It doesn’t necessarily outweigh all of the advantages, but it is something to consider when holding meetings in cyberspace.