Research Note. Electronic Brainstorming: Illusions and Patterns of Productivity

We believe that the theoretical arguments and the pattern of empirical data present a rather clear and succinct message, first made in 1994, for managers and researchers (J. S. Valacich, A. R. Dennis, T. Connolly. Idea generation in computer-based groups: A new ending to an old story. Organ. Behavior and Human Decision Processes Vol. 57, pp. 448–467, 1994). For small groups, any benefits for electronic brainstorming (EBS) are indeed an illusion; groups would be no worse and possibly better off to work as nominal groups. For large groups, however, EBS offers clear performance benefits over nominal group brainstorming, as well as verbal brainstorming (R. B. Gallupe, A. R. Dennis, W. H. Cooper, J. S. Valacich, L. Bastianutti, J. F. Nunamaker. Electronic brainstorming and group size. Acad. Management J. Vol. 35, pp. 350–369, 1992).