Information seeking behaviour of Malaysian town planners

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the information-seeking behaviour of Malaysian Town Planners (MTPs) in fulfilling their specific work task, which is to prepare the Development Proposal Report (DPR) that incorporates flood risk reduction aspects for planning permission purposes. The researcher investigated MTPs’ involvement in the DPR preparation, types of information sought from five town planning reference instruments, the uses of five town planning reference instruments and additional information sources and the problem faced when seeking for and using of the information from five town planning reference instruments for the DPR preparation. Design/methodology/approach This study was based on quantitative research using the postal survey method. Data were collected from 60 MTPs using questionnaires, with a response rate of 81.7 per cent. Findings The study showed that limited professional knowledge is the main factor influencing information-seeking behaviour of MTPs in the DPR preparation. The study revealed that MTPs seek information which are mainly related to the incorporation of flood risk reduction aspects in site planning, detailed information on existing conditions for all planning sectors especially for planning sectors that influence flood risks, detailed information on how development controls that influence the risks of flooding should be considered and detailed information on site planning aspects that influence flood risks from five town planning reference instruments. The MTPs gave various answers for the seven factors influencing their choice of use for each town planning reference instruments. Familiarity and prior success and trustworthiness factors got the most absolutely very important answers; followed by the quality factor with the most important answers; the timeliness factor with the most moderately important answers; accessibility factor with the most somewhat important answers; the cost factor with the most not so important answers; and the packaging factor with the most not important at all answers. The MTPs used additional sources such as the local planning authority, other agencies, colleagues, internet, clients, books, journals, seminar or conference papers and magazines to get useful information for the DPR preparation besides the five town planning reference instruments. The study found that the top three problems encountered by the MTPs during their information seeking for and using of information were the related information on incorporation of flood risk reduction aspects in site planning in all five town planning reference instruments were not sufficient, not in detail and not complete. Research limitations/implications Only 60 MTPs, whose DPRs for lowland development areas with planning permission from the Selayang Municipal Council, Selangor, Malaysia, from the year 2012 to 2014 were chosen as samples in this study. Besides that, only site planning aspects in five town planning reference instruments were taken into account in this study. Practical implications This paper provides useful understanding of the information-seeking behaviour of MTPs in fulfilling one of their professional tasks, which is preparing the DPR that incorporates flood risk reduction aspects for planning permission purposes. Originality value Being the first study on information-seeking behaviour of MTPs, it contributes to the very limited research literature on the topic for this profession in the world generally and Malaysia specifically.

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INFORMATION QUALITY FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION IN SITE PLANNING: TOWN PLANNERS’ PERCEPTION

PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL ◽

10.21837/pmjournal.v14.i5.182 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Intan Afida ◽

Shaharudin Idrus ◽

Halimaton Saadiah Hashim

Keyword(s):

Risk Reduction ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Information Quality ◽

Town Planning ◽

Local Planning ◽

Municipal Council ◽

Planning Decisions ◽

Flood Risk Reduction ◽

Site Planning ◽

Country Planning

One of the main tasks of a town planner in Malaysia is to prepare a Development Proposal Report (DPR) to be submitted together with the layout plan to get planning permission from the local planning authority (LPA). Incorporation of flood risk reduction aspects in site planning in the DPR is important to allow the LPA to make good and effective planning decisions. This study examines town planners’ perception on information quality for the incorporation of flood risk reduction in site planning in the context of five town planning reference instruments, namely the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, Selayang Municipal Council Local Plan 2020, Town and Country Planning Department Planning Guidelines, Selangor Manual and Planning Guidelines 2nd Edition and DPR Manual 2nd Edition that assist them to prepare the DPR for obtaining planning permission from Selayang Municipal Council, Selangor, Malaysia, where the study was carried out. The findings show that there is a need to improve existing town planning reference instruments and access to information to generally enhance town planners planning activities and specifically improve DPR quality in the future.

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INFORMATION QUALITY FOR FLOOD RISK REDUCTION IN SITE PLANNING: TOWN PLANNERSâ€™ PERCEPTION

PLANNING MALAYSIA JOURNAL ◽

10.21837/pm.v14i5.182 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 ◽

Author(s):

Intan Afida ◽

Shaharudin Idrus ◽

Halimaton Saadiah Hashim

Keyword(s):

Risk Reduction ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Information Quality ◽

Town Planning ◽

Local Planning ◽

Municipal Council ◽

Planning Decisions ◽

Flood Risk Reduction ◽

Site Planning ◽

Country Planning

One of the main tasks of a town planner in Malaysia is to prepare a Development Proposal Report (DPR) to be submitted together with the layout plan to get planning permission from the local planning authority (LPA). Incorporation of flood risk reduction aspects in site planning in the DPR is important to allow the LPA to make good and effective planning decisions. This study examines town plannersâ€™ perception on information quality for the incorporation of flood risk reduction in site planning in the context of five town planning reference instruments, namely the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, Selayang Municipal Council Local Plan 2020, Town and Country Planning Department Planning Guidelines, Selangor Manual and Planning Guidelines 2nd Edition and DPR Manual 2nd Edition that assist them to prepare the DPR for obtaining planning permission from Selayang Municipal Council, Selangor, Malaysia, where the study was carried out. The findings show that there is a need to improve existing town planning reference instruments and access to information to generally enhance town planners planning activities and specifically improve DPR quality in the future.

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An assessment of the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of Members of Parliament (MPs) in Bangladesh

Information and Learning Sciences ◽

10.1108/ils-10-2016-0075 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 118 (1/2) ◽

pp. 48-66 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Md Uzzal Hossain ◽

Md Arman Hossain ◽

Md Shariful Islam

Keyword(s):

Information Seeking ◽

Information Needs ◽

Simple Random Sampling ◽

Information Services ◽

Survey Method ◽

Online Information ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Content Type ◽

Members Of Parliament ◽

Information Seeking Behaviour

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of Members of Parliament (MPs) in Bangladesh. It aimed at determining the information sources, preferred information format, frequency of seeking information and access to information and communication technology and online information services by the MPs. The study also intended to assess the role of parliament library for satisfying the information needs of the MPs. Design/methodology/approach A survey method was adopted for data collection; the respondents were interviewed by the researchers with the guidance of a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was read out for the respondents and filled up by the interviewers based on the answers they received. Fifty MPs were selected for the study using simple random sampling. The data were analysed with the help of weighted mean. Findings The study found that the MPs mainly seek information to make a parliamentary request/inquiry, to make a speech and to make a decision. The most important sources of information were minutes of sessions, mass media, personal letters and information networks; and they preferred printed formats rather than online documents. The result also showed that only a few MPs were aware of the information services provided by the parliament library and were satisfied with the services they received. Originality/value There has been no study carried out on the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of MPs in Bangladesh prior to this research. The study will help the policymakers to improve the library services for MPs in Bangladesh.

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Public Perception of Flood Risks and Disaster Preparedness in Lagos Megacity, Nigeria

Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies ◽

10.2478/ajis-2018-0068 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 179-185 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Andrew Onwuemele

Keyword(s):

Risk Reduction ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Disaster Preparedness ◽

Public Perception ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Ecological Zones ◽

Flood Risks ◽

Flood Risk Reduction ◽

The City ◽

Flood Prone Areas

Abstract Flood risks are considered as one of the most devastating natural disasters. Presently, flooding occurs in all the ecological zones in Nigeria which has been linked to global warming. In Lagos Megacity, the incidence of flooding is now a reoccurring decimal which is only an indication of the failure of the existing mechanism for flood risk reduction. Knowledge of public perception of flood risk is considered a crucial element for a proactive preparedness for flood risk reduction. This study is aimed at gaining insight into the public perception of flood risks for proactive flood risks preparedness among residents in flood prone areas in Lagos megacity, Nigeria. The survey research design was utilized. Data were collected by questionnaire from residents of flood prone neighbourhoods in the city. The results show high awareness of flood risks among respondents that have experienced flooding previously than respondents that have not experienced flooding in the past. It also reveals poor preparedness among respondents that have not experienced flooding. The paper calls for public awareness creation among residents in flood prone areas of the city as a strategy to promote preparedness for flood disaster risks reduction in the city.

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ON FLOOD RISK REDUCTION BY INTEGRATING ANALYSIS OF FLOOD FLOW AND INUNDATION IN THE KINU RIVER DURING 2015 LARGE FLOOD

Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers Ser B1 (Hydraulic Engineering) ◽

10.2208/jscejhe.74.i_1399 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 74 (4) ◽

pp. I_1399-I_1404

Author(s):

Kosuke TABATA ◽

Shoji FUKUOKA ◽

Takuya YOSHII

Keyword(s):

Risk Reduction ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Flood Risk Reduction ◽

Flood Flow

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The value of US coral reefs for flood risk reduction

Nature Sustainability ◽

10.1038/s41893-021-00706-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Borja G. Reguero ◽

Curt D. Storlazzi ◽

Ann E. Gibbs ◽

James B. Shope ◽

Aaron D. Cole ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coral Reefs ◽

Risk Reduction ◽

Flood Risk ◽

Flood Risk Reduction

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Uncertainty and subjective task complexity in the information-seeking behaviour of lawyers

Library Review ◽

10.1108/lr-09-2016-0079 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 66 (4/5) ◽

pp. 266-281

Author(s):

Nafisat Toyin Adewale ◽

Yushiana Mansor ◽

Muhammad-Bashir Owolabi Yusuf ◽

Ahmeed Onikosi

Keyword(s):

Information Seeking ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Task Complexity ◽

Survey Method ◽

Law Firms ◽

Content Type ◽

Minimum Requirement ◽

Educational Qualification ◽

Populated State ◽

The Relationship

Purpose This study investigates the moderating effects of age, experience and educational qualification on the relationship between uncertainty and subjective task complexity among lawyers working in private law firms in Lagos State, Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A survey method was adopted and data were gathered using questionnaires. The analysis was carried out based on partial least squares structural equation modelling using SmartPLS 2.0 M3 software. Findings Results showed that the effect of uncertainty on subjective task complexity is significantly moderated by age, educational attainment, experience of the lawyers under study. Research limitations/implications Although data were collected in the most populated state and commercial hub of Nigeria, generalisation based on findings may still need to be made with caution. Practical implications Attainment of higher educational qualification is highly important for lawyers even though the minimum requirement to practice as a lawyer is a degree. Lawyers with higher degrees (LLM and PhD) had less uncertainty and perceived their tasks to be less complex compared to their counterparts who had the first degree (LLB). Originality/value The demographic profile of professionals (age, education and experience) has proven to have an impact on their perception about task complexity as determined by uncertainty as found in this study.

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