摘要:The technological advancements in the second half of the previous century generated thepotential for participatory decision making in organizational and governmental institutions.Moreover, the digital networking environments on the Internet that enabled this type ofdecision making were accompanied by the emergence and establishment of on-linecommunities. Under this perspective, the range of communication mediated by ubiquitouscomputing allows problems, ideas, and suggestions of a specific nature to be consideredwhen gathered into organizational and institutional virtual spaces. Within these spaces, thevoices of individual customers, workers, organizational stakeholders, and/or citizens can bearticulated and brought to bear on services, practices, and policies, as well as to join voiceswith salient others. Such naturally or intentionally formed communities and groups requireroles within them to function.