Suggestions for a research framework for South Africa: how can we learn from web information seeking/searching studies?

Abstract

The growing interest in web informotion seeking/seorching studies, ond their importance for web site design. search engines, intranets, portals, etc. warrants Keywords: web information seeking; web information searching; web studies; research framework; research agenda IntroductionThe exponential growth in web sites, web users and accessto web-based information resources is an indication of their growing importance. The World Wide Web .0NWW) is used by a diverse group comprising scientists, researchers, academics, students, information technology (IT) specialists, members of the general public, schoolchildren and elderly citizens. A growing interest is reported for the last three groups (Bilal, 2000, 200 I; Burwell, 200 I) and in information seeking for everyday needs (Carey et 0/., 200 I) and decision=making (Choo, 200 I, 2002). In South Africa there is also a growing interest in the web as an information source. Apart from its potential to meet academic and businessinformation needs, it can also be an important resource filling the everyday information needs of South Africans. Spink and Cole (200 I :303) note that:[The] Internet is the driving force behind broadening LIS analysis of information seeking beyond work and school. The interactive potential of this hybrid information flow channel should bring the power of information use to many more sectors of society than is now the case, but it also forces researchers interested in these issues to take a wider, more integrative approach to studying information seeking and use that includes nonseeking behavior in its human information behavior perspective.Web information seeking/searchingstudies can shed light on the design of user interfaces, search engines, navigational features, online help and intelligent agents, information architecture, content description and metadata, the teaching of information skills (e.g. to schoolchildren or senior citizens) and the refinement of our information retrieval (IR) research methodology. The findings may also be useful in web advertising, marketing and e-commerce (Ozmutlu et 0/.,2002), and in drawing interest from designatedtarget groups (e.g. getting teenagers interested in usingthe library). By understanding the variables (also called barriers or influencing factors) that affect web information seeking/searchingwe can improve all facets of web information spaces. Many such variables have been identified and tested in traditional IR (Wilson I 999b).More recently Hertzum et aJ. (2002), for example, reports on the notion of trust in the information seeking behaviour of software engineers with special reference to virtual agents and e-commerce. Spink and Xu (2000) conclude that 'continued research into Web user behaviour is needed to impact the development of new types of user interfaces and software agents to aid users in better Web searching'.Information seeking is also important in the context of virtual or online learning environments (e.g. Sheremetov & Arenas, 2002; Yang, 200 I). In the South African context this is part...

Functionality of Farmers’ Stores and Local Economic Development Initiatives in Oyam District: A Case of Aber Sub-County

“…Both promotion and implementation of LED in South Africa are associated with the apartheid era where cities pursued limited degree of LED in the form of place making (Nel & Rogerson, 2016). However, after the fall of apartheid, the involvement of the South African local governments in LED activities increased as a result of several legislations compelling the country to get more involved (Fourie, 2018). At present, the role of South Africa's local governments in promoting and implementing LED is guaranteed by the 1996 Constitution, the 1998 White Paper on the local governments as well as the Local Government Municipal Systems Act of 2000 (World Bank, 2018).…”