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Article
Publication date: 1 July 2020

Ashfaq Hussain, Taimoor-Ul-Hassan and Ghulam Shabir

This study aims to examine how information professionals select a social media channel for information discovery and delivery. This analysis was focused to provide usage based…

1008

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how information professionals select a social media channel for information discovery and delivery. This analysis was focused to provide usage based ranking of social media channels for information discovery and delivery. This study has also measured the preference of social media as compared with other information and communication channels such as radio, TV, newspapers, etc., for information discovery and delivery. This study compared the global social media rank with the study rank to record the variances in the light of uses and gratification theory.

Design/methodology/approach

For this quantitative research study a self-administered survey questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants of the study. Sample of this study was 700 information professionals necessarily user of social media.

Findings

Findings of this reveals that social media is the most preferred channel for information discovery and delivery among information professionals and study validates the assumption of uses and gratification theory with a view that information professionals are independent and active users of social media and global rank of social media is significantly different from the rank developed in this study.

Research limitations/implications

The present study is limited to information professionals only and considers social media (only top 20 sites) as an information and communication channel among information professionals.

Practical implications

This study has determined the preference of social media as an information and communication channel as compared with other information and communication channels and present a ranking based on usage among information professional, which is significantly different from the existing global user based ranking.

Social implications

Social media provides versatility of information in different forms and large numbers of information professionals are the users of social media around globe. This study shall help information professional to select appropriate channels for information discovery and delivery. Usage based ranking provided in this study shall stream line the social media practices at large.

Originality/value

This study has developed a usage based rank of top social media. This study elaborated the preference of social media as an information and communication channel.

Article
Publication date: 3 February 2020

Ashfaq Hussain, Ghulam Shabir and Taimoor-Ul-Hassan

The purpose of this study is to compare the gratification sought and gratification obtained for cognitive needs from social media among information professionals in the limelight…

2043

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare the gratification sought and gratification obtained for cognitive needs from social media among information professionals in the limelight of uses and gratification theory. Cognitive needs are related to knowledge, acquiring information, comprehension etc., and gratification sought and gratification obtained are two distinct components of the uses and gratification theory.

Design/methodology/approach

For this quantitative research study, a self-administered survey questionnaire was used to collect data from the participants of the study. Sample of this study was 700 information professionals who are necessarily users of social media.

Findings

Finding of this study depicted that gratification obtained and gratification sought from social media for cognitive needs are different from each other, and information professionals need to revisit their social media use for cognitive needs.

Research limitations/implications

The present study is limited to gratification sought and gratification obtained for cognitive needs among information professionals.

Practical implications

This study has determined that information professionals need to revisit their social media use for cognitive needs, as the obtained gratifications are different from gratification sought from social media.

Social implications

Social media provides versatility of information in different forms and large numbers of information professionals are the users of social media around globe. Perceived use of social media for cognitive needs has been resulted into destructed gratifications. This study has brought the actual outcome of the use of social media to the audience so that they may rectify their social media use.

Originality/value

This study is a significant contribution for information professionals to review the gratifications sought and obtained from social media for cognitive needs. It has been established in this study that gratifications sought are significantly different from gratifications obtained from social media among information professionals.

Details

Information Discovery and Delivery, vol. 48 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-6247

Keywords

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