Collaborative information seeking: The combined activity of information seeking and collaborative grounding

A TOPSIS-Inspired Ranking Method Using Constrained Crowd Opinions for Urban Planning

Crowdsourcing has become an important tool for gathering knowledge for urban planning problems. The questions posted to the crowd for urban planning problems are quite different from the traditional crowdsourcing models. Unlike the traditional crowdsourcing models, due to the constraints among the multiple components (e.g., multiple locations of facilities) in a single question and non-availability of the defined option sets, aggregating of multiple diverse opinions that satisfy the constraints as well as finding the ranking of the crowd workers becomes challenging. Moreover, owing to the presence of the conflicting nature of features, the traditional ranking methods such as the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) cannot always be feasible as the optimal solutions in terms of multiple objectives cannot occur simultaneously for the conflicting cases (e.g., benefit and cost criteria) for urban planning problems. Therefore, in this work, a multi-objective approach is proposed to produce better compromised solutions in terms of conflicting features from the general crowd. In addition, the solutions are employed to obtain a proper ideal solution for ranking the crowd. The experimental results are validated using two constrained crowd opinion datasets for real-world urban planning problems and compared with the state-of-the-art TOPSIS models.

Mixing Patterns in Interdisciplinary Co-Authorship Networks at Multiple Scales

There are inherent challenges to interdisciplinary research collaboration, such as bridging cognitive gaps and balancing transaction costs with collaborative benefits. This raises the question: Does interdisciplinary research collaboration necessarily result in disciplinary diversity among collaborators? We aim to explore this question by assessing collaborative preferences in interdisciplinary research at multiple scales through the examinination of disciplinary mixing patterns at the individual, dyadic, and team level in a coauthor network from the field of artificial intelligence in education, an emerging interdisciplinary area. Our key finding is that disciplinary diversity is reflected by diverse research experiences of individual researchers rather than diversity within pairs or groups of researchers. We also examine intergroup mixing by applying a novel approach to classify the active and non-active researchers in the collaboration network based on participation in multiple teams. We find a significant difference in indicators of academic performance and experience between the clusters of active and non-active researchers, suggesting intergroup mixing as a key factor in academic success. Our results shed light on the nature of team formation in interdisciplinary research, as well as highlight the importance of interdisciplinary training.

Information seeking abroad: an everyday-life study of international students

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how four international students at a Danish university cope with their study-related and everyday information needs, behaviorally as well as affectively, and how their information seeking blends with their cross-cultural adaptation.

Design/methodology/approach

Each of the four participants contributed ten diaries and took part in three interviews during the first semester of their stay.

Findings

International students’ information needs and seeking behavior are shaped by their host university but also by cross-cultural, personal and situational issues. While the cross-cultural issues set international students apart from domestic students, the personal and situational issues create individual differences that call for more individually tailored support. The studied international students lacked information about both study-related and everyday issues. These two types of issues were intertwined and experienced as equally stressful. However, study-related information needs were more important, whereas everyday information needs were more difficult to resolve. In addition, participants tended to feel on their own when it came to finding needed information, but studying abroad also had elements of personal growth in meeting life’s challenges.

Research limitations/implications

More participants are needed to investigate how international students’ information seeking evolves over time.

Originality/value

This study contributes detailed information about international students’ study-related and everyday information seeking during their first semester abroad. The study has implications for everyday-life studies of international students’ information behavior and the international classroom in general.

Organizational changes, trust and information sharing: an empirical study

Purpose

While there is relatively plenty of evidence for the positive impact of communication on the perceptions of organizational change, how organizational changes affect information sharing is relatively unknown. The purpose of this paper is to investigate if a favorable perception of ongoing organizational changes has a positive impact on information sharing and whether trust mediates this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire (n=317) was administered to the employees of a large Finnish multinational organization. Partial least square structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses based on earlier research findings.

Findings

The results show that a positive perception of recent organizational changes improves information sharing both directly and indirectly, mediated by trust. Consequently, when changes are perceived negatively, employees recoil from information sharing which is known to have negative implications for organizations.

Research limitations/implications

Data were collected in a single organization. The nature of the specific changes in the studied organization and its particularities undoubtedly had an effect on respondents’ perceptions.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to organizational information management research by elaborating on the relationship between organizational changes and interpersonal information sharing between employees. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first quantitative study confirming the impact of the perception of organizational changes on employee information-sharing behavior.

Applicability of solitary model of information behavior in students’ collaborative learning assignments

Purpose

This paper aims to present results of a study which examined students’ collaborative information behavior (CIB) in comparison with behavioral patterns illustrated in Wilson’s (1996) model of information behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of six groups of undergraduate students; four from Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) and two from Ardhi University (ARU) were purposively selected. Data were collected using semi participant observation, critical incident interviews and focus group discussion methods.

Findings

Results indicate that students’ CIB is mainly shaped by collaborative learning environment, learning tasks objectives and requirements. Despite its wider applicability in different domains and contexts, Wilson’s (1996) model is partially appropriate in modeling students’ group-based learning information behavioral activities. Person(s) in context and active and passive information seeking are aspects of the model which are observed to be relevant in students’ CIB.

Practical implications

The study has implications on teaching and learning practices in higher learning institutions.

Originality/value

The study provides new insights on how students exhibit different information behavioral patterns during collaborative learning. The study fills a gap on how solitary models of information behavior can be used to model students’ information behavior in team-based learning.

Empirical studies of collaborative information seeking: a review of methodological issues

Purpose

Information seeking is often performed in collaborative contexts. The research into such collaborative information seeking (CIS) has been proceeding since the 1990s but lacks methodological discussions. The purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss methodological issues in existing CIS studies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors systematically review 69 empirical CIS studies.

Findings

The review shows that the most common methods of data collection are lab experiments (43 percent), observation (19 percent) and surveys (16 percent), that the most common methods of data analysis are description (33 percent), statistical testing (29 percent) and content analysis (19 percent) and that CIS studies involve a fairly even mix of novice, intermediate and specialist participants. However, the authors also find that CIS research is dominated by exploratory studies, leaves it largely unexplored in what ways the findings of a study may be specific to the particular study setting, appears to assign primacy to precision at the expense of generalizability, struggles with investigating how CIS activities extend over time and provides data about behavior to a larger extent than about reasons, experiences and especially outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

The major implication of this review is its identification of the need for a shared model to which individual CIS studies can contribute in a cumulative manner. To support the development of such a model, the authors discuss a model of the core CIS process and a model of the factors that trigger CIS.

Originality/value

This study assesses the current state of CIS research, provides guidance for future CIS studies and aims to inspire further methodological discussion.

Conflicting Online Health Information and Rational Decision Making: Implication for Cancer Survivors

Although people in the social media age can access health information easier, they have difficulty judging conflicting rational information or summarizing the large amounts of health information available. Conflicting health information occurs when contrary assertions or information about a certain health issue comes from different information sources. This study examined the background knowledge and the current phenomenon of why conflicting health information occurs in real-world conditions. We also reviewed causes and solutions by reviewing the literature. In particular, we recommend a method that solves problems that patients have including cancer survivors who cannot themselves be active in seeking health information. Thus, we categorized the specific types of conflicting health information and analyzed the sociodemographic factors and information carrier factors that have an impact on the health information-seeking behavior of individuals.

Collaborative information seeking and expertise seeking: different discourses about similar issues

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast research on collaborative information seeking (CIS) and expertise seeking (EXS) to identify focal themes, blind spots, and possibilities for cross-fertilization.

Design/methodology/approach

Existing research was reviewed. The review consisted of a content analysis of 70 (CIS) and 72 (EXS) studies with respect to the context, scope, process, and setting of CIS and EXS, supplemented with a bibliometric analysis of the references in the reviewed studies.

Findings

In CIS, the context is a group of actors collaborating on a shared task. In EXS, the information need is held by an individual but resolved by consulting other people. While the typical scope of EXS studies is source selection, CIS studies mostly concern the consultation of the sources and the use of the obtained information. CIS and EXS studies also attend differentially to the information-seeking process. Only 4 percent of the references in the reviewed studies are cited in both CIS and EXS research. The author concludes that, at present, CIS and EXS are different discourses about similar issues.

Research limitations/implications

Increased interaction between CIS and EXS will advance research in both areas and prevent duplication of effort. Topics for future research are identified. It should be noted that the findings are limited to the 142 studies reviewed.

Originality/value

By analyzing CIS in the context of EXS, and vice versa, this study provides a fresh look at the information-seeking research that attends to collaboration.

Collaborative information seeking environments benefiting from holistic ergonomics

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore the value of utilising a holistic ergonomic approach, covering engineering, cognitive and social perspectives, to cultivate beneficial and productive collaborative information seeking (CIS) systems and environments, specifically with regard to three main CIS pillars (control, communication and awareness).

Design/methodology/approach

– A qualitative research approach, based on a selective corpus of CIS literature, was utilised to perform a content analysis to note if terms and concepts normally associated with engineering, cognitive and social ergonomics can be used to eliminate terms reflecting issues related to three CIS pillars (control, communication and awareness) that can benefit from a holistic ergonomic approach.

Findings

– The content analysis revealed that a fairly extensive amount of holistic ergonomic terminology is prominent within the CIS literature, therefore establishing a connection between the two disciplines: CIS and ergonomics. This suggests that CIS system issues could benefit from the insights of a holistic ergonomic approach.

Research limitations/implications

– Since this is an exploratory study the scope of CIS literature utilised in the content analysis was limited to a selection considered most important by the authors; this should be supplemented by further research.

Practical implications

– Intended to instigate interest in further exploration of the beneficial and productive implications and practical application of holistic ergonomics in designing CIS systems and environments.

Originality/value

– This is the first research paper in the Library and Information Science literature that explores the potential of utilising holistic ergonomics to cultivate CIS systems and environments.

A model for common ground development to support collaborative health communities

Common ground is necessary for developing collaboration as part of building resilience for public health preparedness. While the importance of common ground as an essential component of collaboration has been well described, there is a need for studies to identify how common ground develops over time, across individual and group dimensions, and the contexts that influence its development. This paper studied common ground development in three Canadian communities between October 2010 and March 2011 through a project on capacity building for disaster management. Disaster management requires the integration of paid and volunteer participants across public and private sectors and is therefore a good domain to study common ground development. We used directed qualitative content analysis to develop a model of common ground development over time that describes its progression through coordinative, cooperative and collaborative common ground. We also identified how common ground develops at micro (individual) and macro (group) levels, as well as how agency, technology and geographical contexts influence its development. We then use the four phases of disaster management to illustrate how our model can support longitudinal common ground development. Our findings provide useful insight to enable proactive development of common ground in collaborative health communities.

Physician's emerging roles relating to trends in health information technology

OBJECTIVE

To determine the new roles that physicians will adopt in the near future to adjust to accelerating trends from managed care to outcome-based practice to health care reform to health information technology to the evolving role of health consumers.

METHODS

Trends and related developments concerning the changing roles of physicians based on prior literature reviews.

RESULTS

Six possible roles, traditional, gatekeeper, coach, navigator, informatician and one voice among many, are discussed in terms of physician's centrality, patient autonomy, decision-making and uncertainty, information seeking, satisfaction and outcomes, particularly those related to compliance.

CONCLUSION

A greater understanding of these emerging roles could lead to more efficacious outcomes in our ever changing, increasingly complex medical system. Patients often have little understanding of emerging trends that lead to the development of specialized roles such as hospitalist and navigators and, relatedly, the evolving roles of physicians.

Local social knowledge management: A case study of social learning and knowledge sharing across organizational boundaries

Knowledge management is normally approached in the context of a single organization’s activities. Recently the focus has been extended to activities which span beyond organizational boundaries, especially to the key role of social learning across organizations. The concept of ‘local social knowledge management’ has been used to stress the process of social learning in regional networking. This study describes the local social knowledge management in a regional development project. The knowledge sharing and creation practices in the theme groups of the project are described and particular attention is paid to the evolution of the social learning process. Three distinct but interdependent forms of knowledge sharing and creation were identified in networking. Operational networking helped people manage the current project responsibilities while strategic networking opened pathways to the future. The third form of networking boosted the personal development of project participants even when the cooperation was not continuing. The results show that there can be more accurate models in knowledge management research if the viewpoint is shifted to broader contexts where people normally interact.

Spatial context in collaborative information seeking

Space and time are considered the most important dimensions for studying systems and methods that support collaboration in information seeking. Several investigations have provided us with insights into people’s preferences and experiences relating to these two dimensions, but there is a lack of empirical evidence. A user study is presented, involving 60 subjects in 30 pairs, in which the experience and performance of users are compared while performing an information-seeking task in three different spatially defined collaboration settings: (1) working at the same workstation, (2) working in the same room at different workstations, and (3) working in different rooms. The results show significant differences among the experimental conditions, indicating the impact of space on collaboration. The pros and cons of different spatial set-ups are derived from an extensive analysis that uses several traditional information retrieval measures such as precision and recall, as well as unconventional assessments involving coverage and diversity.

An examination of Canadian information professionals’ involvement in the provision of business information synthesis and analysis services

The present study investigated the processes information professionals, working in a business environment, follow to meet business clients’ information needs and particularly their involvement in information synthesis and analysis practices. A combination of qualitative and quantitative data was collected via a survey of 98 information professionals across North America and follow-up interviews with eight Canadian information professionals. It was found that there is an increasing need for value-added services, which incorporate synthesis and analysis but the level of information professionals’ involvement differs depending on a range of factors such as clients’ needs and attitudes, information professionals’ knowledge of the subject area and their length of time working in a particular organization. Information synthesis and analysis in a business context is mostly a collaborative process and principles of analysis are required throughout the entire cycle of information seeking. For the effective transition of information professionals to information synthesists and analysts more effective support may be required to develop a set of essential skills and knowledge.