How is this similar, or different , from what you have been doing, i.e. flying around, doing business, eating food? I wonder if "road warriors" is really a "phenomenon," or, rather, just another way to appropriate chic language for mundane activities. -Robert On Thu, 23 May 2002, Barry Wellman wrote:
I am posting this query to both the Community list and the AOIR list, because of its relevance to both.
I've been flying around a lot recently giving lectures and attending conferences: to scholarly, governmental and corporate dot.com groups.
In so doing, I frequently encounter what _PC Magazine_ calls "road warriors", albeit the opposite of Mad Max.
These are managers, professionals and technicians who spend a good deal of time traveling, either between organizational offices, or to other organizations or conferences. Modally, 2-4 days per week. They live by computer-supported and 800-number contact back to their home base. If you get into business lounges, you can see them pounding their laptops, checking their emails, and talking via 800 numbers to their colleagues elsewhere. They spend a lot of time in corporate hotels (e.g., the misnamed Holiday Inn), bars, medium-priced restaurants, and airport lounges.
Has anyone seriously studied such folks? How do they sustain this mobile life? What is their community, with work colleagues and friends -- and household members? Etc.
Barry ___________________________________________________________________
Barry Wellman Professor of Sociology NetLab Director wellman@chass.utoronto.ca http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~wellman
Centre for Urban & Community Studies University of Toronto 455 Spadina Avenue Toronto Canada M5S 2G8 fax:+1-416-978-7162 ___________________________________________________________________
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