Journal Article

The Invisible World of Intermediaries: A Cautionary Tale

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Date

1999, 1999

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Volume Title

Source

Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW): Vol. 8, No. 1-2

Publisher

Springer

Abstract

Many observers consider traditional intermediaries such as brokers, lenders and salespersons anachronisms in a world where consumers can communicate directly with providers of products and services over computer networks. Under the same rubric, information mediators such as journalists, editors, librarians and customer support representatives are being targeted for elimination. Drawing on our ethnographically-informed studies of customer support analysts and librarians, we demonstrate that the expertise and experience of intermediaries is often invisible – to the consumer, to the organization in which these intermediaries work, and even to the intermediaries' managers. The valuable services provided by intermediaries are not made unnecessary by end-user access. We argue for a richer understanding of intermediation, and a reallocation of functions and roles in which “new intermediaries” – people, software or a combination of the two – aggregate, personalize and assure the quality of information.

Description

Ehrlich*, Kate; Cash, Debra (1999): The Invisible World of Intermediaries: A Cautionary Tale. Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW): Vol. 8, No. 1-2. DOI: 10.1023/A:1008696415354. Springer. PISSN: 1573-7551. pp. 147-167

Keywords

costomer support, CSCW, digital library, electronic commerce, electronic community, intermediary, librarians, notes, trust

Citation

DOI

10.1023/A:1008696415354

URI

URI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1008696415354
 https://dl.eusset.eu/handle/20.500.12015/3555

Collections

JCSCW Vol. 08 (1999)

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Referenced By

Number of citations to item: 43

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  • Yong Ming Kow, Waikuen Cheng (2018): Complimenting Invisible Work, In: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction CSCW(2), doi:10.1145/3274365
  • Michael B. Twidale (2005): Over the Shoulder Learning: Supporting Brief Informal Learning, In: Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) 6(14), doi:10.1007/s10606-005-9007-7
  • Samuli Pekkola, Mike Robinson, Markku-Juhani O. Saarinen, Jonni Korhonen, Saku Hujala, Tero Toivonen (2000): Collaborative virtual environments in the year of the dragon, In: Proceedings of the third international conference on Collaborative virtual environments, doi:10.1145/351006.351008
  • Claus Bossen, Lotte Groth Jensen, Flemming Witt (2012): Medical secretaries' care of records, In: Proceedings of the ACM 2012 conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, doi:10.1145/2145204.2145341
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