Is Whatsapp the future of workplace communication?: investigating the use of Whatsapp in decision- making episodes

Background and Purpose: Meetings, emails, phone calls and mobile telephone texts are often quoted as the primary methods of communication in the workplace settings. However, the rise of mobile messaging service has been superseding the use of these modes of communication. Hence, it is not surprising that messaging applications like Whatsapp has slowly replaced the transmission of messages in most workplace interaction. WA, the prominent global mobile messenger application (statistica.com) does not only allow users to send personal messages to others rapidly but also makes it possible for them to communicate in groups where the users can communicate interactively and achieve tasks swiftly. Methodology: Drawing on WA group messages and audio recordings of meetings of team meetings, this work analyses the impact of WA on internal team communication by focusing on the processes of decision-making displayed by the members of a group of academics at an institution of higher education in Malaysia. Findings: The analysis shows that the application functions as a useful platform for the team to negotiate solutions, make and revisit decisions that were previously decided in another interactional context. Contributions: This paper concludes that the use of WA constitutes a daily reality in the investigated workplace, illuminate the intertextuality of DM processes across these contexts, and that it is reflective of its main purposes: to make quick decisions, give confirmation or approval, and provide information regarding the issues raised. The study also addresses the crucial question: is WA the future of workplace communication and will it become the preferred medium for decision- making