Impact of using attachment handling electronic agents on an individual’s perceived work‐performance

Mobile devices are generally designed for use in low‐bandwidth environments and therefore have limited ability to handle e‐mail attachments. As such, these devices often have to be complemented by using a type of electronic agents, known as attachment handling agents (AHAs), which convert the contents of the attachments to a bandwidth‐conserving text‐form that is then sent to the mobile device for viewing. The purpose of this study is to assess whether AHA usage would improve an individual employee’s perceived work‐performance, measured by a multidimensional set of factors. The participants in the survey are employees at an F1000 Canadian company, all of whom have adopted a mobile communication device. Results indicate that AHA usage has a positive impact on productivity and customer satisfaction.