The influence of task and time on information behaviour in organisations

This research is about the information behaviour of organizational members in different contexts while dealing with the work tasks. The objectives of the research are to provide an understanding of information seeking, using, and sharing through illuminating answers to “How is organizations’ information behaviour shaped with regard to time pressure and task complexity?” and “How do organisational members process information in collaborative settings and decide for the next actions in stable vs. unstable environments?” questions.
In work settings, tasks are commonly carried out in groups; information is processed in collaborative manner and affected by situational factors (time and complexity). However, relatively small number of articles presents collaborative information behaviour and its link to situational factors. To contribute to the existing literature, the research aims to explore collaborative information behaviour while carrying out tasks in varying complexity and under time pressure.
The research uses qualitative methodology. Data have been collected from Cihan News Agency-Istanbul (CIHAN) and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Disaster Coordination Centre (AKOM) through field observations and interviews. It is a cross case study exploring the differences and commonalities of the information behaviour in two different contexts and two different situations.
The interview transcripts and field observation have been interpreted to explain the decision making mode of the organisational members in dynamic environments and the way they process information; and grounded theory approach is used to construct collaborative information behaviour model for the CIHAN and AKOM contexts.
Information behaviour models, which are illuminating collaborative information behaviour (CIB), have been introduced as the first contribution of the research. Time pressure and varying task complexity shape the model through illuminating barriers to access information and complex needs of the tasks carried out. The second contribution lies in clarifying the interaction between information behaviour and decision making type (intuitive vs analytical) under time pressure. Time pressure and the nature of the work tasks drive organisational members to use intuition or analytical mode.
Activity Theory has been used as the theoretical framework and methodological tool for the research. Activity Theory has been used to investigate individual information behaviour in the literature. Use of Activity Theory to investigate collaborative information behaviour is the methodological contribution.