Social capital or non-human sources? A cross-context study on information source selection of migrant farmer workers

2021 ◽  
pp. 016555152110551
Author(s):  
Fang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Information Service ◽  
Public Information ◽  
Source Selection ◽  
Social Capitals ◽  
Farmer Workers

Insufficient examination of social factors obscures the reason why non-human information sources are under-utilised by social groups with lower information literacy. This study explores the mechanism of information source selection (ISS) of Chinese migrant farmer workers (MFWs) in different industries by conducting a cross-context analysis. After iterative analyses of multiple cases, a theoretical model of information source selection within an individual’s information world is constructed. It explains why MFWs make more use of social capitals than non-human information sources in information seeking. Besides, the information needs are examined form both the needed information and the need itself. A classification of social capital as human information source is created and the roles that social capitals and non-human information sources play in ISS are identified. This study provides novel theoretical insights into the ‘old’ issue of ISS, and thus has practical implications for public information service providers and MFW-related policy makers.

scholarly journals “I actually got my first job through my ex-colleague”: Employment-related information seeking behavior of Bangladeshi immigrants in Canada

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062199280
Author(s):  
Nafiz Zaman Shuva
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Immigrant Professionals ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
First Job

This study explores the employment-related information seeking behaviour of Bangladeshi immigrants in Canada. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 Bangladeshi immigrants in Ontario, Canada, and obtained 205 survey responses. The study highlights the centrality of employment-related settlement among Bangladeshi immigrants in Ontario and reports many immigrants not being able to utilize their education and skills after arrival in Canada. The results show that Bangladeshi immigrants utilize various information sources for their employment in Canada, including friends and professional colleagues, online searchers, and settlement agencies. Although Bangladeshi immigrants utilized a large array of information sources for meeting their employment-related information needs, many interview participants emphasized that the employment-related benefits they received was because of their access to friends and professional colleagues in Canada. The survey results echoed the interview findings. The cross-tabulation results on post-arrival information sources and occupation status as well as first job information sources and occupational status in Canada show a significant association among the use of the information source “friends and professional colleagues in Canada” and immigrants’ occupational status. The study highlights the benefits of professional colleagues among immigrants in employment-related settlement contexts. It also reports the challenges faced by many immigrant professionals related to employment-related settlement because of the lack of access to their professional friends and colleagues in Canada. The author urges the Federal Government of Canada, provincial governments, and settlement agencies working with newcomers to offer services that would connect highly skilled immigrants with their professional networks in Canada, in order to get proper guidance related to obtaining a professional job or alternative career. The author calls for further studies on employment-related information seeking by immigrants to better understand the role information plays in their settlement in a new country.

Categorizing Blogs as Information Sources for Libraries and Information Science

2015 ◽  
pp. 4833-4845
Author(s):  
Mark-Shane Scale ◽  
Anabel Quan-Haase
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Collection Development ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Source Category

Blogs are important sources of information currently used in the work of professionals, institutions and academics. Nevertheless, traditional information needs and uses research has not yet discussed where blogs fit in the existing typologies of information sources. Blogs and other types of social media have several characteristics that blur the lines of distinction existent between traditional information source categories. This chapter brings this research problem to the fore. Not only do we examine why blogs do not neatly fit into existing information source categories, but we also deliberate the implications for libraries in terms of the need to consider blogs as an information source to be included in collection development. We discuss the opportunities and possibilities for blogs to be integrated into the collection development efforts of academic and public libraries to better serve patrons. In order to accommodate for blogs and other types of social media as information sources, we propose the introduction of an additional information source category. We suggest new avenues of future research that investigate how blogs are being used to meet information needs in various social settings, such as corporations, health care and educational settings (e.g., higher education, and schools). In this chapter, we develop a framework of how blogs may function as information sources to provide libraries with a better understanding of how blogs are integrated into the context of everyday information seeking. By grouping the ways in which people employ blogs to acquire information, we propose that blogs provide information sources along a continuum ranging from non-fiction to fictional information.

PERSONALIZING THE SOURCE SELECTION AND THE RESULT MERGING PROCESS

2009 ◽  
Vol 18 (02) ◽  
pp. 331-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
SAMIR KECHID ◽  
HABIBA DRIAS
Keyword(s):  
Information Retrieval ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Retrieval System ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Information Access ◽  
Information Retrieval System ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Distributed Environment ◽  
Source Selection ◽  
User Query

The World Wide Web knows an incessant and very fast development. Currently, finding useful information on the Web is a time consuming process. In this paper, we present PIRS a personalized Information Retrieval System in a distributed environment. Most prior research in distributed information access focused on selecting and merging information that has the most relevant content according to the query but ignored the user's specific needs. The underlying idea is that different users have different backgrounds, goals and interests when seeking information and thus, the same query may cover different specific information needs according to who emitted it. However, with the ever expanding Web, users are faced with a huge number of information resources. Consequently, such query-based information access strategies lead to inaccurate query results. PIRS extends the state of the art in a Web-based information retrieval system in distributed environment. First, it develops models for representing both user and information source using feature based profiles. Second, PIRS expands a user query according to his profile. Third, it develops algorithms for source selection and results merging that personalize the computation of the relevance score of a document in response to the user's query. PIRS has been experimented with several known information source. The experimental results obtained show the effectiveness of our approach.

Smartphones for Law Students – Persuasive, Pervasive and Legal: a Research Study

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 174-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaki Abbas ◽  
Andrew MacFarlane ◽  
Ayşe Göker
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Information Service ◽  
Law Students ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Academic Context ◽  
Academic Information ◽  
The Uk ◽  
User Friendly

AbstractSmartphones have quickly become a key part of our daily lives. Over 70 percent of people in the UK own such a device and law students are no exception to this far-reaching trend1. The use of these devices has posed some significant questions on the extent of their impact on information seeking behaviour and in relation to information delivery of resources. Zaki Abbas, Andrew MacFarlane and Ayşe Göker, who have recently begun a research project together, seek to not only examine the information seeking behaviours (ISBs) of law students using their Smartphones for academic information retrieval, but also to investigate perspectives from subject law librarians from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) throughout the UK. There is an impression that students tend to find Smartphones more appealing for their information seeking needs compared to the professional resources and services, such as virtual libraries, which their HEI have already invested in. The result leads to a deep concern from subject librarians that students may be at risk from weakening research skills as well as relying too much on poor information sources not specifically designed to meet their information needs within the academic context5. The authors also suggest that information service providers to be more pro-active in providing information to students through more user-friendly interfaces as well as capitalise on the growing use of the Smartphone as a means to deliver their product4,5,6,15.

Accessing of Retrospective Information by the Ophthalmologists in India: A Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-31
Author(s):  
R. Govindarajan ◽  
S. Dhanavandan
Keyword(s):  
Information Retrieval ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Information Service ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Review Articles ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Major Factors

Health information has high value in society. The accumulated health information empowers the health professionals to serve for millions of lives. The purpose of the study is to examine Ophthalmologists’ – Eye Doctors retrospective information retrieval behaviour. The study design is cross-sectional and convenience sampling method is adopted. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. SPSS 18 PASW Statistical package was used for statistical analysis. Frequencies, percentages, Mann Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Factor Analysis, Friedman test, Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used in the study. Around 633 ophthalmologists working in 47 academic eye hospitals from 16 states of India were included in the study. The study results revealed that the majority of the ophthalmologists prefer Review articles. The statistical test results showed up that the ophthalmologists’ retrospective information retrieval preferences differ by experience, institution type. The three major factors of ophthalmologists’ retrospective information retrieval behaviour were identified as Related Resources, Experts / Peers and Information Sources. The Related Resources factor was significantly higher than the Experts / Peers factor and Information Sources factor. The ophthalmic community should motivate the ophthalmologists to publish more review articles. The ophthalmic libraries and information service providers can add a list of related literature for each of their resources.

Periodic Information-seeking Behaviors of First-time Mothers in China

Libri ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-274
Author(s):  
Yinxia Hu ◽  
Ping Ke
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Source Selection ◽  
Information Demand ◽  
First Time Mothers ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviors ◽  
First Time

Abstract First-time mothers have a unique and varied set of information needs, but at present, these needs are seldom adequately addressed by libraries in China. As a first step in making libraries more helpful to this group, this study reports the results of a series of interviews aimed at understanding new mothers’ current information seeking behaviors. Thirty-seven first-time mothers (children from first year of birth to six years of age) took part in semi-structured in-depth interviews, answering questions about their information demand, information source selection (and factors influencing this selection), and obstacles encountered in the process of information search. It was found that first-time mothers’ information-seeking behavior varies from stage to stage, e. g. between pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period. Internet search plays an important role because of its perceived convenience and accessibility, but trust is the key factor during the process of information selection, regardless of source. Overall, the mothers we interviewed seldom use the library. This paper puts forward some suggestions to remedy that situation: libraries might consider opening a first-time-mothers reading room, increasing cooperative promotions with other institutions, providing diversified service projects, and organizing reading-promotion activities for first-time mothers at different stages. If implemented, these suggestions promise to help mothers navigate the transitions of pregnancy, childbirth, and childcare.

scholarly journals An Integrated Conceptual Framework for ICT-based Market Information Source Adoption among Smallholder Farmers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Nwafor
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Survey Methodology ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Market Information ◽  
Relevant Market ◽  
Production Technologies ◽  
African Agriculture

The importance of ICTs for dissemination of information to farmers has been verified by extension practitioners, information and communication scholars, policy makers and development agencies. Information related to new seed varieties, production technologies, livestock breeds, vaccines, including weed and pest control, as well as relevant market information is constantly required by smallholder farmers. The identification of specific attributes among smallholder farmers which contributes to their adoption of a proposed ICT-based information source provides an important tool for developing interventions which address the information needs of farmers. Using a literature survey methodology, pertinent studies related to adoption of ICTs, farmers’ information source usage and relevant frameworks were identified, including applicable theories and models in technology adoption and information behaviour. In the proposed framework, the socio-economic characteristics of smallholder farmers were posited as key variables influencing smallholder farmers, within a farming system, to adopt ICT-based information sources. The framework contributes to discern the prospects of adopting ICT-based information sources by individual farmers within a farming system, and may also envisage other related welfare outcomes and market participation pathways among smallholder farmers. The review also addresses the paucity of conceptual discourse, while contributing to a growing pool of research on ICT in African agriculture.

scholarly journals Cross-Cultural Digital Information-Seeking Experiences

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 872-891
Author(s):  
Haifa Binsahl ◽  
Shanton Chang ◽  
Rachelle Bosua
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
English Language ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Use Of Information Sources

The number of Saudi female international students (SFISs) pursuing higher degrees in Western countries has increased dramatically. Many are faced with unusual challenges, especially acting without a male’s permission, interacting with males, and using an open, free Internet. This article proposes that SFISs experience a “digital shift” whereby their cultural, educational, and digital backgrounds impact their information-seeking behavior in Australia. The study used a qualitative interpretivist methodology, interviewing a diverse group of SFISs studying in Australia, to better understand this impact on their everyday information needs and use of information sources. Findings indicate that SFISs’ imperfect online search skills, exacerbated by English language deficiency, increase their challenges. Recommendations for supporting SFISs are offered for institutions and service providers.

scholarly journals Exploring the Information Source Preferences Among Canadian Adult Golf League Members

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Melissa Davies ◽  
Dianna Gray
Keyword(s):  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Public Information ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Participation Decision ◽  
Source Preferences

With an aging demographic, and the abundance of physical inactivity in Canada, sport professionals need to understand how best to recruit and retain adults in sport and recreational activities, namely, golf leagues.  Canadian golf league participants (N = 419; Mage = 62 years old) completed an online survey detailing their propensity to utilize a variety of information sources prior to making the decision to join a golf league.  Results from a principal component analysis of a revised Information Sources Inventory, suggested that golfers in this sample were most likely to utilize Personal and Social sources of information associated with their league participation decision.  While no differences emerged in information source preferences across Age or levels of Involvement, women (m = 4.12, SD = 1.30) were significantly more likely to utilize Public information sources than were men (m = 3.64, SD = 1.26).  Implications from the information source preferences are discussed with the goal of generating more effective marketing strategies to recruit new golfers, lapsed golfers, or golfers who do not currently engage in league play.

Information Source Selection Patterns as Determined by Small Business Problems

1983 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 42-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Earl C. Young ◽  
Harold P. Welsch
Keyword(s):  
Small Business ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
General Management ◽  
Source Selection ◽  
Search For Information ◽  
Types Of Information ◽  
Selection Of

One hundred ninety three entrepreneurs (193) were surveyed to determine the types of problems which were most frequently encountered and the types of information sources likely to be utilized. General management, operations, finance and market problems were found to be related to certain combinations of information source categories: professional, personal, written, institutional, and electronic. It is concluded that the type of problem encountered by entrepreneurs affects the selection of information sources. Several suggestions are made on how these findings can be used by entrepreneurs in their search for information which bears on their business problems.

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