Impediments to the Proliferation of Electronic Mail: A Study from the User's Perspective

Proliferation of electronic mail is limited despite cost and time advantages over other forms of communication. This study identifies, from the users' perspective, non-technical factors that must be addressed before electronic mail can realize its potential as a cost effective and efficient communication tool. Two of the human implementation factors identified as most influential in discouraging the use of electronic mail are directory assistance and the small number of E-mail counterparts among colleagues. Thus, the communication efficiency suffers not necessarily because electronic mail fails to perform, but because of human implementation factors.