No ‘off’ switch (but not being all things to all people at all times): Extreme integrators’ use of avatar-mediated connectivity

This thesis aims to advance our understanding of connectivity by exploring how ‘extreme integrators’—those who exhibit minimal distinction and high overlap between ‘work’ and ‘play’ aspects of their life—regulate, moderate and otherwise manage their regular and relatively high volume of communication media messages. Of particular interest is their sense of ‘agency’ or control of their perceived work and play boundaries. The sample for this study is drawn from social media creators, individuals who produce content for social media with the goal of amassing followers, which increases the value of their media streams. The research design is an exploratory case study, using semi–structured interviews, assisted and triangulated with diary studies, observations and interviews with a key–informant from the industry. The results of this study portray unique aspects of how social media creators understand and manage connectivity. In particular, it was discovered that participants in this study used multiple virtual identities, namely their avatars, to extend their connectivity and virtual presence online. An avatar is an agent’s curated, technology-enabled proxy representation presented on a public, digital space that self-replicates its creator’s programmed messages. As such, my study finds these ‘avatars’ enable extreme integrators to manage their personal and professional connectivity (i.e., achieving requisite connectivity, while avoiding hyper- or hypo-connectivity), while maintaining valuable ‘visibility’ online. Ultimately, this study discover how managing online communication visibility through the use of connective avatars allows extreme integrators to achieve, or at least move closer toward, their ideal work-life balance.

Name thesis:degree_name

PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Management

Grantor dc:publisher

ResearchSpace@Auckland

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Woo, Sung Ho Paul

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Kolb, Emeritus Darl G
• Sullivan-Taylor, Bridgette Emma

Statement dc:rights

• Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2292/60177

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchspace.auckland.ac.nz:2292/60177