Communication among the world’s humans has evolved in a similar way as the evolution of all other creation. There have been numerous stops along the path and communication styles, like passengers on a long commute, have gotten on and off of the train. Every major innovation impacting the way we communicate has been revolutionary in one way or another. Nods and gestures gave way to grunting, the development of spoken and written languages, social groupings, mass literacy, exponential education of the proletariat, and the development of modern civilization. Once man thought he had conquered communication he set out to reinvent it, over and over again. Some of his communication innovations include radio, the telephone, film, television, mobile telephones, the internet, text messaging, and the ability to send information instantly to anyone in the world from the palm of his hand. There is a technology that blends all of these and displays a nearly unlimited array of information in a space as small as a postage stamp. Will it be the next major step in mass communication?
The Thing
The quick response code, or QR code, is a two dimensional series of black and white, or any two contrasting colored, boxes contained within a larger square bounding box. When scanned with most any camera enabled mobile device with a data plan or Wi-Fi connection these codes can display an image, simple text, or even an automatic link to a website. The possibilities for this technology are limited only by the public’s willingness to quickly adopt this, next contribution to man’s list of communication methods. But will that happen?
The Research
According to a study done at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom there is a small but notable portion of young adults who are aware of QR codes and their function, approximately 13.5% or 1790 students (Jordan & Ramsden, 2009). A study done at a private university in Japan found in a survey that 83% of the freshmen and sophomores had used QR codes to get information in the past (Rivers, 2009). So, it would seem that young adults, in general, are likely to have some experience with QR codes. There is not research available to demonstrate young Americans’ knowledge of the technology.
There is evidence, however, that younger generations in many societies are more likely to adopt new technologies and integrate them into daily life and communication. A Finnish study conducted in 2003 found that 91% of 16-20 year olds regularly use a cell phone. The same study determined that many of these youth have a nearly addiction like attachment to their mobile device. The study consisted of over 600 students 55% of whom were female and 45% male (Wilska, 2003). These numbers are present among Finnish youth despite the fact that Finland comes in 5th among European Union countries when ranked for internet connectivity. All E.U. countries fall behind the United States when ranked on percentage of people who are connected to the internet regularly (Wilska, 2003).
There are approximately 3.4 billion cell phones currently in use worldwide (Tung, 2010). Currently the standard technology is 3G. This data band is capable of carrying a great deal of information wirelessly to the user’s mobile phone. The next iteration of mobile technology, 4G, is beginning to emerge and will be capable of transmitting even more data. This connection presents a never before available opportunity. Through QR codes remote, nonverbal communication can reach far beyond simple printed media. The content and links that can be contained within the code immediately immerse the user in whatever message the sender chooses.
People in different cultures tend to use their mobile phones and internet connections for different purposes. In 2007 a study was published which compared social media and internet use among 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students in Denmark and Hong Kong. What they found was that children in Hong Kong used the internet and their various connections to it and each other in order to study, look something up, or do homework. Conversely, in Denmark the students used the internet and connection to one another for web surfing, text messaging, and other forms of recreation (Anderson, Tufte, Rasmussen, & Harlow, 2007).
These students, separated by nearly 5,300 miles, have a few commonalities. Both sets of children use their mobile telephones to make appointments with their parents as well as to play games. They also both report a high percentage of students, 85% in Denmark and 79% in Hong Kong, who use the internet to play games (Anderson, et al., 2007). A different survey, conducted by California State University in 2008, found that there was a positive correlation between parenting via cell phone and dishonesty between parties (Weisskirch, 2008).
Students with such high levels of connectivity and differing uses of that connection share another condition; the ability and opportunity to utilize QR codes to consume content. The parents of these children might receive check-ins from their children’s phones when the child scans a QR code at a predetermined location.
Are there ample incentives for a mass adoption of QR codes as a means of communication and content consumption? If so, is it likely to happen soon?
About the Research
Research on the various aspects of this topic has largely been conducted via interviews and surveys. This is a fairly new realm so there are no historical texts aside from those that demonstrate trends among different groups of consumers.
Surveys, of course, provide an easily measurable data set for the researchers to code and tabulate. These data help to create dependable and trustworthy results that should be replicable in other settings. Unfortunately, one of the downsides of using a strict survey method is that so much information can go undetected because it is not included in the questionnaire.
Interviews allow for more in-depth learning to occur between the researcher and participant. Interviewing allows for a true ethnography to emerge. More details of how different media are being used and unknown aspects of conversation can be revealed in an interview.
The research questions addressed by these studies asked things like:
“Do students know what a QR code is?”
“Given students’ current mobile device ownership patterns, are they currently able to access QR codes?”
Is there a relation between parenting via telephone and honesty between parent and child?
What do students in Hong Kong and Denmark use the internet for?
Can QR codes be used to aid in language learning?
All of the referenced studies are trying to find out about technology and people’s use of it. Where they differ is mostly only geographic. The majority of respondents were between 16 and 25 but they were in locations including Finland, Denmark, Hong Kong, and the United States.
Many young people have what could be considered an addiction to their mobile phone or other electronic communication device. A small but not dismissible portion of youth is aware of QR codes and some of their applications but knowledge of the technology varies by location. Interests among youth and likely adopters of the technology are equally varied. Some national cultures emphasize fun and individuality while others focus on congruency and national contribution.
Reference List
Anderson, Lars, Birgitte Tufte, Jeanette Rasmussen, & Kara Chan. (2007). Tweens and new media in
Denmark and Hong Kong. The Journal of Consumer Marketing, 24(6), 340. Retrieved October 2, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1373510051).
Jenkins, Fiona. (2006). Mobile marketing. Young Consumers, 7(2), 60. Retrieved September 28, 2010,
from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1139368501).
Ramsden, A., Jordan, L., (2009). Are students ready for QR codes?. Findings from a student survey at the
University of Bath. Working Paper. University of Bath.
Tung, F.. (2010). Exploring Customer Satisfaction, Perceived Quality and Image: An Empirical Study in theMobile Services Industry. The Business Review, Cambridge, 14(2), 63-69. Retrieved October 2,2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 2045077801).
Weisskirch, R.. (2009). Parenting by Cell Phone: Parental Monitoring of Adolescents and Family
Relations. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 38(8), 1123-1139. Retrieved September 28, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1805400421).
Wilska , Terhi-Anna. (2003). Mobile phone use as part of young people’s consumption styles. Journal ofConsumer Policy, 26(4), 441-463. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global.
(Document ID: 462518841)
