Developing Effective Electronic Information Seekers

Abstract

As electronic sources of information expand and build depth, there is an increasing reliance on information seeking to support work activities and decision-making. Despite the growing importance of these information sources, little is known about the process of information seeking, and the ways in which skills may be improved. This paper describes a series of studies that seek to identify factors which enhance information seeking, and, in particular, to explore the relationship between motivational influences and information search strategy. The results indicate the need for reviews of organisational training and infrastructure to ensure workers are sufficiently skilled in basic information seeking.