Making choices: research paradigms and information management: practical applications of philosophy in IM research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine a variety of research approaches which information managers may find useful to meet the needs of working in the networked, digitized age. Design/methodology/approach – This is achieved by a discussion of the research paradigms inherent within both information theory and social theory. Findings – The findings work towards a final justification for an interpretist approach as the most appropriate context in which to work, in order to meet the emerging trends and current challenges of information technology management. Practical implications – The central theme of this paper is that research which deals primarily with people and information in a world of change, competition, and fluid communications technology should take into account and allow for an understanding of human behaviour. This understanding helps to highlight different contexts, backgrounds, and cultures and therefore provides assistance in making appropriate choices concerning research paradigms and information management, which in turn will ensure thoughtful methodology and justifiable research results. Originality/value – This paper examined questions regarding the choices of research paradigms and the practical application of philosophy to the life of professional information managers

Achieving information fulfilment in the networked society: part 1: introducing new concepts

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the idea of information fulfilment. The networked society provides many opportunities for information flow. However, information professionals readily accept that, although one is surrounded by information of many sorts, in many formats, what is important is whether users consider that they ever achieve what is known as “Information Fulfilment”. i.e. occurrences when there has been information which is accurate, timely, current and presented in an appropriate and useful format to allow (work) tasks to be completed. Design/methodology/approach – This first paper contains a literature review which informed the study. The study (which will be reported in detail in a later paper) was interpretive and used ethnography (through participant observation) as the research tool. The research deals with issues surrounding organisation structures and examines levels of information fulfilment in micro substantive settings. Findings – The paper serves to introduce background and cultural information from a small section of a larger European research project which involved five countries and was partially funded by TEMPUS and Leonardo da Vinci Socrates grants. Research limitations/implications – The paper introduces ideas concerning information fulfilment and addresses initial issues concerning a small section of results from a larger project. Phase 2 is now under way and more studies are planned. It is noted that organisation structures are only one variable that affects levels of information fulfilment and there are plans in the future to further extend the study. Originality/value – The research attempts to link the levels of information fulfilment with types of organisation structures. This paper introduces the concept and gives the rationale for the project

Cultural issues, organisational hierarchy and information fulfilment: an exploration of relationships

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the cultural results of a three year study into the concept of information fulfilment and considers the impact of culture on levels of information fulfilment. Design/methodology/approach – Ethnographic studies were undertaken within higher education institutions in four countries, by examining each organization's shape and comparing it with the level of achievement of information fulfilment. The social and symbolic meanings that underpinned the culture of information in the chosen institutions are presented. The cultural frameworks are analysed and followed by a section of “raw data” from the ethnographic field. Findings – Culture impacted significantly in all the studies, and each study had its own unique character which provided rich insights into the culture, atmosphere and contexts of the fields. Originality/value – The relationships between the cultures and the levels of information fulfilment are reported with a view to helping build knowledge management systems that deliver higher levels of information fulfilment

The exploration of relationships between information fulfilment and organisational design

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between information fulfilment and organisational design. Design/ Methodology/Approach: This exploration is undertaken in four ways. First, the early part of the paper places information fulfilment within the literature. Second, there is an attempt to further determine the meaning of Information Fulfilment. Third, the factors that impact on Information Fulfilment are identified within the context of organisational design. Fourth, empirical findings are reported in the form of a European project which investigated the “relationship” between organisational design and information fulfilment. Findings: Information fulfilment is shown to be about the process of taking an intuitive “feel” and delineating a number of aspects which are concerned with what might be called emotion. Fulfilment is also connected with organisational roles and wider environmental issues Originality/ Value: The contribution of this paper to the discipline of information management is that information fulfilment is found to exist and to be an important issue influenced by the design of an organisatio