This document summarizes a research paper that examined the contribution of information literacy to innovative work behavior in a Finnish organization. The paper found that (1) information literacy skills serve as a prerequisite for workplace learning; (2) information behaviors and various information sources support learning innovative work behaviors; and (3) further research is needed to explore the specific processes of innovative work behaviors and their relationship to information behaviors. It also questions whether educationally focused information literacy models could be adapted for workplace contexts.

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The interaction between people, information
and innovation
Presented by
Lyndsey Middleton
@Middleton_Ly
Co-authors: Professor Hazel Hall, Dr Laura Muir & Professor Robert Raeside
Edinburgh Napier University
ASIS&T Annual Meeting 2018, Vancouver, Canada
Information literacy to underpin innovative work behaviour in a Finnish organisation

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What is this paper about?
The contribution of
information literacy in the
development of innovative
work behaviour including:
 employee perceptions
 the role of information
behaviour and use 2

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Key concepts
Recognise Create
ChampionImplement
Innovative work behaviour Formal
workplace
learning
Informal
workplace
learning
Workplace
learning
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Høyrup
(2010)

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Literature
Workplace
learning
Innovative
work
behaviour
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The contribution of information literacy to this specific relationship

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Information literacy models
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SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information
Literacy (SCONUL, 2011)
A New Curriculum for Information Literacy
(ANCIL) (Secker & Coonan, 2011)
National Information Literacy Framework
(Scotland)
Framework for Information Literacy for
Higher Education (Association for College
and Research Libraries)
Seven Faces of Information Literacy
(Bruce,1997); Six frames of Information
Literacy Education (Bruce, 2015)
Information Literacy Model and new
definition (CILIP, 2018)

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Research question
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How do information literacy and
information behaviours support
successful workplace learning of
innovative work behaviour?

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Data collection method
12 face-to-face semi-structured
interviews in Finland
Issues to overcome:
 language
 location
 pre-arrange visit 7

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Study setting and sample
1 Finnish University, 12 non-academic staff (i.e. NOT faculty)
36-45
(5)
46-55
(5)
56-65
(2)
AGE GROUPS
Male
(2)
Female
(10)
GENDER
Leader
(3)
Manager
(3)
Non-manager
(6)
EMPLOYMENT RANK
Finnish
(11)
British
(1)
ETHNIC BACKGROUND
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Findings
3 main themes emerged:
The role of information literacy in the learning of
innovative work behaviour
The importance of information behaviours in
learning to innovate
The use of different information sources in
workplace learning
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 Information literacy is first step
 Adds context and background
information
 Presents ‘bigger picture’
 Collective information literacy
 Identify others’ information
needs
 Share requests
The role of information literacy in the
learning of innovative work behaviour
“I think it does because
somehow it gives the bigger
picture, somehow the context of
learning things there in that
sense so I think this is
important”
Kivi – Project Coordinator
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 Information interpretation helps
only if meaning is added
 Information analysis helps to
interpret information
 Information searching and
access hinders innovation
 Time is needed
The importance of information
behaviours in learning to innovate
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“So you sometimes think that “oh dear, the
information is there.” But they can’t find it if
it doesn’t come in a really, really easy way,
immediately […] So if you don’t get the right
answer, it doesn’t exist, because…you don’t
have the patience to put so much time into
finding information”
Akira - Departmental Coordinator

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 Information analysis helps
employees to present information to
others
 Information sharing is a key
activity to help employees to:
 discuss ideas
 share processes and procedures
 Suitable communication methods
The importance of information
behaviours in learning to innovate
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“Yeah. So we talk a lot together.
Share the information. And then I
mean check with the colleagues
‘How would you do that?’‘Oh, we
do it like this, we could do it like
that’.”
Akira – Departmental Coordinator

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The use of different information
sources in workplace learning
 People help to:
 gain expert knowledge
 initiate exchange of ideas
 access information quickly
 question information
 External information sources help to
bring in new ideas
 Information overload
 Lack of trust in information 13
“I also talked about it with
our study psychologist, and
then we were turning this idea
round and looking at it and
what could we do?”
Tuli – staff member in
Administration

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 Findings relate to previous studies of information literacy in the
workplace (e.g. Fafeita & Lloyd, 2012; Lloyd, 2010; Lloyd, 2012)
 People can contextualise information literacy:
 with little effort and;
 understand the importance of behaviours (individually and
collectively)
 People are an important information source as innovations can
occur from questioning and interactions between people
 Information overload can lead to the early termination of
innovations (but lack of information can also do so)
Discussion
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Conclusions
(1) Information literacy skills serve as a prerequisite for
workplace learning;
(2) Information behaviours, and various information
sources, support the learning of innovative work
behaviour;
(3) Further research is required to explore specific process
of innovative work behaviours with information
behaviours
(4) Could educationally driven information literacy models
(e.g. SCONUL, 2011) be adapted to fit workplace
contexts? 15

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Thank you!
Email: L.Middleton@napier.ac.uk
Twitter: @Middleton_Ly
PhD Blog: lyndseyjenkins.org
This research was funded by an ESRC-SDS PhD Collaborative Studentship and a
John Campbell Trust Student Research Bursary awarded by CILIP
All logos were taken from official websites and used under Fair Use concepts. All other images were created by Lyndsey Middleton
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