The study of computer mediated communication (CMC) systems in organizations is necessary for a complete examination and explanation of organizational culture and communication. Research has shown that the effects of CMC systems have been both positive and negative. Positively, they have helped to augment oral communication. Negatively, they have had a detrimental impact on organizational communication structures. For example, some studies have shown that these technologies have bureaucratized organizational structure and shifted power to those who control computer resources. The importance of CMC is not so much its impact on information processing but its impact on the structure of organizations. Organizational researchers should examine how CMC systems become paralleled, integrated, opposed, or useful to the larger organization culture. Also, they should analyze how individuals interact with CMC machines and networks to define their role. Effective planning of organizations today requires strategic management of: (1) the role of communication technology in the evolution of the organization's culture, (2) the interaction between technology and human communication factors, and (3) the emergence of techno-cultures that may subvert the primary missions of the organization. Organizational communication scholars and consultants need to study the cultural dimensions of CMC systems before making prescriptive recommendations to organizations. (SRT)