An explanatory study into the information seeking-behaviour of Egyptian beggars

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Essam Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Demographic Group ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Role Of Information

The key purpose of this study is to provide first-hand information about beggars in Egypt, especially from the perspective of their information-seeking behaviour including their information needs. It tries to investigate the information-seeking behaviour of Egyptian beggars with regard to their thoughts, perceptions, motivations, attitudes, habits, preferences as well as challenges that may impede their use of information. The research methods used were an adapted form of snowball sampling of a heterogeneous demographic group of participants in the beggary activity in Egypt. This sampling was used to select focus groups to explore a range of relevant issues. Data on the demographic characteristics of Egyptian beggars showed that they tend to be men, mostly with no formal education, with an average age around 30s, labelled as low-income persons, mostly single and mostly Muslims. A large number of Egyptian beggars were seeking for information to meet their basic daily needs, although some of them were not able to identify their information needs clearly. The information-seeking behaviour profile of a very large number of Egyptian beggars indicated a preference for informal sources of information over formal sources to solve different problems and meet the challenges faced during their beggary depending on assistive devices, predominantly mobile phones. The illiteracy and the lack of awareness about the basic rights of information as well as information needs were the most important difficulties Egyptian beggars face during accessing information. The study recommended that beggars’ awareness about their information rights should be promoted through educational programs that help them value the role of information in their life.

scholarly journals How COVID-19 Changed the Information Needs of Italian Citizens

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (19) ◽  
pp. 6988
Author(s):  
Rino Falcone ◽  
Alessandro Sapienza
Keyword(s):  
Public Opinion ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Virtuous Behavior ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Restrictive Measures ◽  
Role Of Information ◽  
Political Decisions

Italy was the first European country to be affected by COVID-19, facing an unprecedented situation. The reaction required drastic solutions and highly restrictive measures, which severely tested the trust of the Italian people. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of the introduced measures was not only linked to political decisions, but also to the choice of the Italian people to trust and rely on institutions, accepting such necessary measures. In this context, the role of information sources was fundamental, since they strongly influence public opinion. The central focus of this research was to assess the information seeking behavior (ISB) of the Italian citizens, to understand how they related to information and how their specific use of information influenced public opinion. By making use of a survey addressed to 4260 Italian citizens, we identified extraordinarily virtuous behavior in the population: people strongly modified their ISB in order to address the most reliable sources. In particular, we found a very high reliance on scientists, which is particularly striking, if compared to the past. Moreover, starting from the survey results, we used social simulation to estimate the evolution of public opinion. Comparing the ISB during and before COVID-19, we discovered that the shift in the ISB, during the pandemic, may have actually positively influenced public opinion, facilitating the acceptance of the costly restrictions introduced.

Role of social media in information-seeking behaviour of international students

2016 ◽  
Vol 68 (5) ◽  
pp. 643-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suraya Hamid ◽  
Sarah Bukhari ◽  
Sri Devi Ravana ◽  
Azah Anir Norman ◽  
Mohamad Taha Ijab
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
International Students ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
The Social ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
Source Of Information

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the information-seeking behaviour of international students in terms of their information needs and to highlight the role of social media. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a systematic literature survey was conducted in order to investigate information-seeking trends among international students while using social media. As a result, an exhaustive systematic literature review (SLR) was carried out in order to investigate social media as a source for the observation of the behaviours of international students. For this purpose, 71 articles were selected from various well-known sources after an intensive SLR process of searching, filtering and enforcing the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Findings As an outcome of this study, the information-seeking behaviour of international students was highlighted with respect to social media as a source of information. In addition, this research identifies the information needs of the international students and categorizes them by the roles played by the social media in fulfilling the information needs. Practical implications A comparative study that highlighted the dearth of studies which merge the social media and information-seeking behaviour of international students as well as identify the future direction for the researchers and for benefits of international students. Originality/value A detail SLR which highlights the need of shifting the information seeking behaviour from libraries to social media in regard to the new environment for international students.

Information-Seeking Behaviour of First-Year Undergraduate Students at Mzuzu University, Malawi

Mousaion ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
George Theodore Chipeta ◽  
Gift Alfred, B Dube ◽  
Winner D Chawinga ◽  
Lizzie Malemia ◽  
Maloto Green Chaura
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Science ◽  
First Year ◽  
Library And Information Science ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Ict Infrastructure ◽  
Source Of Information

The paper presents a study that examined the information-seeking behaviour of first-year undergraduate students at Mzuzu University, Malawi, by focusing on three research objectives, namely the information needs of first-year undergraduate students, the predominant sources of information for first-year undergraduate students, and information-seeking barriers of first-year undergraduate students. The study stratified the sample into five faculties and distributed questionnaires with a mix of closed-ended and open-ended questions to 215 first-year undergraduate students. According to the study findings, 135 (62.7%) students who returned the questionnaires predominantly need information for academic work such as assignments, test and examinations. The predominant sources of information used by students are library books, lecture notes or handouts, and text books assigned to the course with scores of 100 (74%), 98 (72.6%) and 63 (46.7%) respectively. The study concludes that as much as library books are the main source of information, the unavailability of relevant books, poor Internet connectivity, students’ lack of computer and search skills, frequent power outages, and underdeveloped ICT infrastructure including low Internet bandwidth, were found to be the inhibiting factors that students faced in accessing and using some information resources at Mzuzu University. Mzuzu University can mitigate some of these challenges by investing in ICT infrastructure and through the department of Library and Information Science and the library working collaboratively in teaching information literacy to students.

Triggers and strategies related to the collaborative information-seeking behaviour of researchers in ResearchGate

2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 1077-1096
Author(s):  
Sanam Ebrahimzadeh ◽  
Saeed Rezaei Sharifabadi ◽  
Masoumeh Karbala Aghaie Kamran ◽  
Kimiz Dalkir
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Science ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Social Networking Site ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Collaborative Information Seeking

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the triggers, strategies and outcomes of collaborative information-seeking behaviours of researchers on the ResearchGate social networking site.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from the population of researchers who use ResearchGate. The sample was limited to the Ph.D. students and assistant professors in the library and information science domain. Qualitative interviews were used for data collection.FindingsBased on the findings of the study, informal communications and complex information needs lead to a decision to use collaborative information-seeking behaviour. Also, easy access to sources of information and finding relevant information were the major positive factors contributing to collaborative information-seeking behaviour of the ResearchGate users. Users moved from collaborative Q&A strategies to sharing information, synthesising information and networking strategies based on their needs. Analysis of information-seeking behaviour showed that ResearchGate users bridged the information gap by internalizing new knowledge, making collaborative decisions and increasing their work's visibility.Originality/valueAs one of the initial studies on the collaborative information-seeking behaviour of ResearchGate users, this study provides a holistic picture of different triggers that affect researchers' information-seeking on ResearchGate.

Information needs and behaviour of Egyptian doormen/women: An exploratory study

2021 ◽  
pp. 026666692110247
Author(s):  
Essam Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Direct Interaction ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Psychological Pressure ◽  
Financial Burdens ◽  
The Individual

The purpose of this study is to examine the information needs of Egyptian doormen/women, including their behaviour. An adapted form of snowball sampling of a heterogeneous demographic group of participants in the doormanship in Egypt was conducted. This sampling was used to select focus groups (n = 6) to explore a range of relevant issues. Demographically, Egyptian doormen/women appeared to be mostly males, with average formal education, with an average age of around 30s and 40s, characterized as low-income people and mostly married. A large number of Egyptian doormen/women suggested that they have not been fully aware of their information rights and a majority of them have not been able to address their information needs in an appropriate way. The study also showed a remarkable diversity in the information needs of doormen/women, particularly concerning the individual and family need, the needs of work-related activities, and the need to find a better place to work in. Regarding their information behavior profile, a large number of doormen/women preferred undocumented oral sources, as well as the frequent informal sources between them and their relatives, peers, and employers, whether through direct interaction, face-to-face meetings, or through mobile and social media. The reasons why doormen/women are searching for information were mostly intended to help in the performance of tasks that are closely associated with their jobs. A large number of doormen/women preferred oral or informal sources over written ones, such as communication with their peers, family, and friends. The experience gained was also one of the most important sources on which doormen/women relied. Time, illiteracy, psychological pressure, bad social image, the lack of awareness of basic and fundamental rights, especially information rights, lack of financial resources, lack of skills and training, and financial burdens were the most important challenges.

The information-seeking behaviour of Kuwaiti judges

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 468-485
Author(s):  
Essam Mansour ◽  
Husain Ghuloum
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
English Language ◽  
Mobile Apps ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Significant Group ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Current Events

The key purpose of this study is to show the information-seeking behaviour of Kuwaiti judges. Being one of the few studies about the information needs and information-seeking behaviour conducted in Arab and developing countries, this study is a pioneer one among many studies conducted in information seeking, especially with this significant group of information users. The authors tried to investigate this seeking behavior in terms of Kuwaiti judges’ thoughts, perceptions, motivations, techniques, preferences, tools and barriers met when seeking information. The authors employed a questionnaire, with a response rate of 77.2%. This study showed that most Kuwaiti judges were likely to be older, educated and with a work experience ranging from new to old. There was a statistically reliable significant difference between Kuwaiti judges’ demographic characteristics and some sources of information, such as books, encyclopedias, references and mass media. Kuwaiti judges were using information moderately to make decisions, to be in line with current events, to collect statistics and to do specific/general research. The office and home were the most frequent location from which Kuwaiti judges were accessing information. Their efficiency level in the English language was described to be moderately good, and a number of them confirmed that their efficiency level in French was not bad. The assistance provided by colleagues, followed by consultants, translators, secretaries and librarians were found to be the strongest types of assistance needed when seeking information. Mobile apps, followed by PCs, information networks (the Internet) and information databases were the highest technology tool used. Printed materials, followed by non-printed and audiovisual materials were the most preferred information formats used. The use of languages, the recency of information and the place of information, the deficit in the library’s role to deliver information were at least significant barriers to Kuwaiti judges when seeking information.

scholarly journals Information-Seeking Behaviour of Women Regarding Household Health and Hygiene Practices

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Loveleen Kaur ◽  
Sukhjeet Kaur ◽  
Preeti Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Family Type ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Mass Media Exposure ◽  
Relationship Of

Background: Inadequate health and hygiene practices have direct effect on health of the individual, family, communities and nation as a whole. The knowledge about different health and hygiene practices depends largely upon the sources from where we regularly get information. Women tend to be the primary health information seekers for family and for themselves. Therefore there is a need to study their information seeking behaviours. Aim: The present study was conducted with the objectives to identify the information-seeking behaviour of women regarding household health and hygiene practices, and to ascertain the relationship of information-seeking behaviour of women with their household and socio-economic characteristics. Methodology: The study was conducted in Ludhiana district of Punjab. Two blocks and two zones were selected purposively from Ludhiana district. Further two villages from each block and two localities from each zone were selected randomly. Twenty five women from each selected village as well as from each locality in the age of 25-50 years were selected on random basis. Thus, a total of 200 women formed the sample for the study and data was collected with the help of an interview schedule. Results: Information-seeking behaviour was studied in terms of information needs, use of information source and information source evaluation. Findings of the study revealed that majority of the respondents i.e. 59 per cent had low information needs for selected household health and hygiene practices. Informal sources were the most frequently used sources of information whereas use of all information sources by most of the respondents (98%) was found to be low. Around 40 per cent of the respondents never evaluate the source of information while looking for information on household health and hygiene practices. Half of the respondents (50%) had active information-seeking behaviour regarding household health and hygiene practices. Conclusion: Information-seeking behaviour of the respondents was positively correlated with their education, occupation and mass media exposure while age of the respondents and the family type were negatively correlated with their information-seeking behaviour.

Profiling information needs and behaviour of Syrian refugees displaced to Egypt

2018 ◽  
Vol 119 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 161-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Essam Mansour
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Academic Library ◽  
Arab Countries ◽  
Syrian Refugees ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Information Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Basic Services

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of Syrian refugees displaced to Egypt. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data in the form of three focus groups were collected from 37 Syrian refugees who have displaced to Egypt and are concentrated mainly in Greater Cairo. In-depth interviews were conducted in September 2016. Findings Data collected about the demography of Syrian refugees revealed that they tend to be men, slightly more than half, mostly with no formal education, with an average age in the mid-30’s, labelled as low-income persons and mostly single. Findings also showed that much of the information needed by Syrian refugees was described as realistic and real, but some was less clearly defined. All Syrian refugees’ information needs are strongly linked to their daily tasks. The majority of Syrian refugees reported that their priority information need was to be aware of the situation in their home country, followed by issues related to their states of the diaspora that they are passing through, such as services provided to their children, shelter and aid in general, as well as rights and obligations related to their refugee status. They also showed that they need information to help get the right or any appropriate work in the host country (Egypt). The study showed that many Syrian refugees were seeking information that meets their basic daily needs. It also showed that the information-seeking behaviour profile of a very large number of Syrian refugees was to prefer informal sources to formal sources to meet everyday problems, as well as troubles challenged by them. A very large number of Syrian refugees revealed that the verbal communication with friends and families were identified as the most popular informal sources of information sought. The study revealed that most of the Syrian refugees were able to use a variety of technologies for the purpose of communication with others, especially mobile phones, being the most key communication devices followed by almost all of them. The use of assisting technologies and devices, such as the computer and the internet and its vast applications proved to be meaningful by Syrian refugees. Other assisting technologies are also heavily used by Syrian refugees, particularly social media, including social networking sites and many other mobile applications. In addition, Syrian refugees have also relied on other technologies and tools to meet their information needs, including television and satellite channels, especially Arabic, which are widely distributed in the Arab environment. Because of some difficulties related to education and awareness, a number of Syrian refugees were not using any type of library. Syrian refugees have met several problems and challenges in accessing information. Such problem may make it difficult to find basic services, make informed decisions and stay in communication with families. Such problems have also a significant impact on their seeking and using information. Finding appropriate work to get money to secure housing, psychological burdens suffered concerning the image of being refugees, emotional distress, lack of accessing some basic services such as education and transportation, lack of financial resources, lack of time, lack of motivation and cultural and social barriers, were significant to Syrian refugees when seeking information. In spite of these challenges and problems met by Syrian refugees, a good number of them wished to improve their image as refugees and to improve their disastrous situation. Based on the review of the existing literature, as well as the findings of this study, further research is needed to understand information needs and information dissemination among Syrian refugees fled to Egypt and how they perceive, select, use, access and evaluate sources of information. Proper strategies should be designed towards the use of traditional and commonly used information dissemination channels among these refugees, such as cultural performances and group discussions. Research is also needed on the impact of illiteracy on the use of information by this category of information users. Owing to the fragile role played by different types of libraries in meeting the information needs of refugees, further research is seriously needed in this regard. In addition, appropriate services should be provided to refugees. Research limitations/implications This study focuses only on Syrian refugees displaced to Egypt. It does not cover any other refugees inside or outside Egypt, although they significantly exist in Egypt, such as Palestinians, Sudanese, Iraqis, Yemenis, Africans and many other nationals. Any conclusions resulting from this study are limited to only Syrian refugees hosted by Egypt. Practical implications This study tries to investigate the Syrian refugees’ information needs and behaviours in terms of their thoughts, motivations, attitudes, preferences and challenges met by them in their search of information. It tries to look at the factors and characteristics that affect this search. Any results from this study may generate interest and create awareness of the information needs of refugees among advocates who are interested in such groups of information users. Originality/value This study attempted to identify a significant gap in identifying the information needs and information-seeking behaviour of Syrian refugees displaced to Egypt. It is the first study of its type to address, in a systematic way, this disadvantaged group resettled and hosted by Egypt. Syrian refugees displaced to Egypt have become a matter of major concern that should be addressed and met by serious academic researchers, as well as by official authorities. The literature on the topic of this research revealed that further research is still needed to be undertaken on such group of information users, as there is a very limited research conducted on this topic in developing and Arab countries, including Egypt, particularly among academic library and information professionals.

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

2017 ◽  
Vol 118 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 48-66 ◽  
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.

scholarly journals Health Information Behavior of Expectant and Recent Fathers

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M. Cramer
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Behavior ◽  
Information Seeking Behavior ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
And Child Health

Given the importance of paternal involvement in maternal and child health, the current investigation takes a closer look at expectant and recent (E/R) fathers’ health information behavior during pregnancy, childbirth, and child care. A total of 186 E/R fathers (68 low-income) completed a survey gauging information needs, sources of information, and information-seeking behavior. Results are summarized in four statements that may help low-income E/R fathers get the information they need during a partner’s pregnancy or after a child is born: (a) paternal information needs are diverse, (b) information needs change across stages of child development, (c) interpersonal sources are important before and after birth, and (d) relationships matter.

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