Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work

Introduction. This paper examines academics’ information behaviour in undertaking research for societal impact. It explores how researcher-stakeholder relationships provide sites of information exchange where academics develop skills and knowledge needed to undertake impact work. Method. This qua...

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Main Authors: Joann Cattlin, Lisa M. Given
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Borås 2024-06-01
Series:Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://informationr.net/infres/article/view/824
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author Joann Cattlin
Lisa M. Given
author_facet Joann Cattlin
Lisa M. Given
author_sort Joann Cattlin
collection DOAJ
description Introduction. This paper examines academics’ information behaviour in undertaking research for societal impact. It explores how researcher-stakeholder relationships provide sites of information exchange where academics develop skills and knowledge needed to undertake impact work. Method. This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 27 academics at 18 institutions across Australia. Participants were recruited across disciplines and at various career stages. Analysis. Constructivist grounded theory was used as a methodology, with Fiske's Relational Models Theory  as a framework for analysis. Results. Results show that information behaviours relating to impact work were enacted within relationships with industry, community, and government partners. These relationships were characterised by four elements: curiosity, reciprocity, trust, and engagement. Conclusion. The paper presents a model of Relational-Informational Impact Practice to guide individual researchers’ information behaviours and to inform university support programs for researchers engaged in societal impact work. The model outlines the interplay between curiosity, reciprocity, trust, and engagement, and impact-relevant information behaviours, such as information needs identification, sharing practices, and serendipity.
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series Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
spelling doaj-art-dbd833775ce149c7be83dbe9e7b71bf52025-02-03T10:10:34ZengUniversity of BoråsInformation Research: An International Electronic Journal1368-16132024-06-0129223024510.47989/ir292824821Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact workJoann Cattlin0Lisa M. Given1RMIT UniversityRMIT UniversityIntroduction. This paper examines academics’ information behaviour in undertaking research for societal impact. It explores how researcher-stakeholder relationships provide sites of information exchange where academics develop skills and knowledge needed to undertake impact work. Method. This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 27 academics at 18 institutions across Australia. Participants were recruited across disciplines and at various career stages. Analysis. Constructivist grounded theory was used as a methodology, with Fiske's Relational Models Theory  as a framework for analysis. Results. Results show that information behaviours relating to impact work were enacted within relationships with industry, community, and government partners. These relationships were characterised by four elements: curiosity, reciprocity, trust, and engagement. Conclusion. The paper presents a model of Relational-Informational Impact Practice to guide individual researchers’ information behaviours and to inform university support programs for researchers engaged in societal impact work. The model outlines the interplay between curiosity, reciprocity, trust, and engagement, and impact-relevant information behaviours, such as information needs identification, sharing practices, and serendipity.https://informationr.net/infres/article/view/824societal impactinformation behaviourresearchersstakeholder relationships
spellingShingle Joann Cattlin
Lisa M. Given
Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work
Information Research: An International Electronic Journal
societal impact
information behaviour
researchers
stakeholder relationships
title Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work
title_full Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work
title_fullStr Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work
title_full_unstemmed Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work
title_short Information relations for social change: exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work
title_sort information relations for social change exploring the information behaviour of academics undertaking impact work
topic societal impact
information behaviour
researchers
stakeholder relationships
url https://informationr.net/infres/article/view/824
work_keys_str_mv AT joanncattlin informationrelationsforsocialchangeexploringtheinformationbehaviourofacademicsundertakingimpactwork
AT lisamgiven informationrelationsforsocialchangeexploringtheinformationbehaviourofacademicsundertakingimpactwork