USE STUDIES OF ELECTRONIC NETWORKS - A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL-RESEARCH APPROACHES AND CHALLENGES FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT

The author reviews the major approaches and central findings of empiri cal research use studies. Six major research approaches were identifie d by cross-tabulating two criteria: the major context of network use ( job-related vs non-work) and the social level of variables (individual vs group level). Examples of all types of studies are presented. The majority of studies can be classified among the surveys focusing on fr equencies of service use. From these studies, analyses of job-related use are most advanced both theoretically and methodologically while st udies focused on non-work contexts of use are less established in this sense. The qualitative research settings seem to gain more popularity , thus making the use studies more balanced methodologically. The stre ngths and weaknessess of the research approaches are assessed and conc lusions are drawn concerning the development of more context sensitive analyses of network uses.