Project INISS Revisited - information and tasks in a professional bureaucracy Professor Tom Wilson

Some historical notes library surveys from 1920s readership studies from the 1930s scientific information studies from late 1940s consumer surveys from the 1950s library use studies in the 1960s information requirements for information systems

library surveys from 1920s

readership studies from the 1930s

scientific information studies from late 1940s

consumer surveys from the 1950s

library use studies in the 1960s

information requirements for information systems

Positivist methodologies surveys or censuses counting instances of use counting types of users counting kinds of material used description rather than analysis

surveys or censuses

counting instances of use

counting types of users

counting kinds of material used

description rather than analysis

Methodological position an action research model organizational communication perspective a work-life perspective

an action research model

organizational communication perspective

a work-life perspective

Research methods structured observation unstructured observation “conversation” structured interviews “experimental” projects evaluation

structured observation

unstructured observation

“conversation”

structured interviews

“experimental” projects

evaluation

Research process gaining entry observing data analysis qualitative analysis questionnaire design questionnaire analysis project definition evaluation

gaining entry

observing

data analysis

qualitative analysis

questionnaire design

questionnaire analysis

project definition

evaluation

Findings instrumentality of information use model of information-seeking behaviour model of research methods

instrumentality of information use

model of information-seeking behaviour

model of research methods

Instrumentality of information use professional competency in professional bureaucracies information is instrumental in maintaining professional competency - this issue is not always formally recognized bureaucratic administration in professional bureaucracies information also serves bureaucratic admin. ends

professional competency

in professional bureaucracies information is instrumental in maintaining professional competency - this issue is not always formally recognized

bureaucratic administration

in professional bureaucracies information also serves bureaucratic admin. ends

Results reflecting instrumentality - 1

Results reflecting instrumentality - 2

Results reflecting instrumentality - 3

Model of information-seeking behaviour personal, social, environmental drivers cognitive and affective needs role of information service provision barriers personal social environmental

personal, social, environmental drivers

cognitive and affective needs

role of information service provision

barriers

personal

social

environmental

Model of research methods primacy of observation all other modes are substitutes for observation - this fact is common in all science role of structure “imposed” “emergent”

primacy of observation

all other modes are substitutes for observation - this fact is common in all science

role of structure

“imposed”

“emergent”

Illustration of research methods