A thesis in the waiting: Blackberry Addiction

I am going to come back to this when I know more about the subject. But I plan to write a thesis about the subject of social etiquette and how Blackberries have changed the way people approach work and social life.

Blackberrys – The good and the ugly
Friday, 4 April 2008

Marko Barosevic

High powered employees are seeing real benefits from their Blackberry
addictions as they work longer, faster and more often.

New research from the University of NSW Australian School of Business
and from the University of Sydney shows that Blackberry use has
tangible benefits for fast paced professionals such as lawyers and
investment bankers.

One of the researchers Judith MacCormick told The Australian Financial
Review that the Blackberry device if used correctly allowed employees
to work more efficiently and be more accessible to clients and
colleagues.

The joint research from the Australian universities also showed an
uglier side to the Blackberry. Firms found that Blackberrys were the
most damage-prone piece of work equipment, often requiring
replacement. It seems that partners and family frustrated at a lack of
face time with Blackberry addicts are lashing out on the device.

“One organization said they go through a lot of handsets, suggesting
that they are actually damaged, flushed down the toilet or thrown at
the wall more frequently than one would expect,” MacCormick said.

The Blackberry – Indispensable work device or antisocial tech
titillation? Send us your feedback.

via Jeremy Smart