Human Information Interaction

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Background and purpose: Business Information is among the important sources for companies, especially for those located in Science and Technology Park which intend to launch a technological business and enter the market. To this end, different aspects of business information behavior of the companies need to be investigated. The aim of this article is to study business information behavior of companies based in Khuzestan Science & Technology Park.

Methodology: This qualitative study was conducted based on grounded theory. Companies affiliated with Khouzestan Science and Technology Park formed our research population. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 companies.

Finding: The results show that the aims of business information seeking include: organizational goal completion and task fulfillment, updatedness, efficiency, competitiveness and preparation for difficult situations and problem solving. Furthermore, business information need includes knowledge of market, national and international policies, laws, financial information, information about products, information about management, as well as information management. Sources of business information were mass media, science and technology park, internet, educational courses, informal communication, and library and financial consultants.  However, barriers to business information seeking included lack of information seeking and information literacy skills, problems about information, technical infrastructure, personal factors, cultural, political and ethical problems, problems in receiving information from the science & technology park and organizational problems.

Conclusion: Companies based in science and technology parks are well-aware of the importance of business information. Moreover, their business information needs are in line with other researches. By identifying the relevant sources and obstacles, this paper can help to provide appropriate information services to these companies.

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Background and Aim: Myriad of IT projects failed in recent years. Digital libraries (DLs) as the product of the usage of IT in the library organization followed a similar trend. This paper studies the critical success factors (CSFs) of DLs in the context of Iran, with special focus on the Iranian Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology. CSFs, in this paper, are those factors that if followed on a daily basis will result in the success of the DL.
Methods: The research approach in this paper is qualitative and the methodology is grounded theory. A non-probability snowball and theoretical sampling method was used for selection of eight DLs with their subsequent parent organizations and 29 interviewees. In addition to semi-structured deep interviews tool, direct observation by residing in the field, and field note taking were among other research tools for data gathering and analysis.
Results: Six CSFs "good leadership and management practice", "having suitable change plan", "recruiting and safeguarding expert manpower", "selecting suitable DL software", "correct selection of digital objects", and "correct organization of digital objects".
Conclusion: This research can be of value to the stakeholders who seek insights on the factors which would influence the success of digital libraries.

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Background and aim: Analyzing the newly-emerged field of human-information interaction (HII) needs to study the field from diferent aspects and perspectives. Religious literature, including among others the Koran is one of main resources for doing so. This study aimed to extract and explain the guidelines and main points related to HII by deeply reflecting on Koranic verses and chapters that regard this notion.
Method: By applying Koranic scientific and topical interpretion approach and using a qualitative content analysis, the related guidelines and points were extracted from the Koran by using a comprehensive and popular 10-volumed Persian interpretion book, Tafsīr Nūr authored by an Iranian scholar, Muhsin Qarā‘tī.
Findings: 25 Koranic guidelines on HII were found from the Koran. In total, the Koran has direct and indirect guidelines on HII, including information search, evaluation, dissemination, use and verification, and approaches of sending-receiving and using information.
Conclusion: Considering the Koranic guidelines on HII and conducting further research on them can resolve many challenges of encountring information of any types in the information age

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Background and Aim: Information literacy is a foundation for all information-related professional skills for preparing them for better performing their careers. This applied survey aimed at determining the rate and level of DIL skills among Iranian students in the academic year 2017-2018.
Method: A 20 item  researcher-made valid and reliable questionnaire on DIL was prepared by conducting a comprehensive literature review. Questionnaires were completed by 1875 male/female students as a purposeful sample, majoring in different disciplines, academic levels at different Iranian Universities in the academic year of 2017-2018.  Data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics.
Findings: Findings showed that several students (39.6%) had a relatively low DIL level and the mean rate of their DIL skills was a moderate (8.34 %). Differences were significant in regard to discipline, academic levels and Universities. Further, there was no significant difference between male and female students in their DIL levels. However, there was a significant difference in DIL scores among students majoring basic sciences. Considering the educational levels, Doctorate candidates had significantly higher DIL scores than undergraduate and graduate students.  Students in private Universities had significantly lower DIL scores than students in State Universities.
Conclusion: Disciplinary-based information literacy has not been very efficacious in Iranian Universities. Designing an IL-synthesized curriculum and turning    toward the information literate University in training professionally information-literate students  is the drive for achieving a successful higher education  system in Iran.
Originality/Value: This study has equally theoretical and practical implications. Practically, depicts the general state of Iranian students' DIL levels, it can apprise Iran's higher educational system of the inevitability of drill skills as such in academic curriculum in all educational levels and scientific disciplines. As DIL is initially introduced in this study, it can be inspiring the theoretical approach of information literacy and its literature by adding a newly-emerged notion of "disciplinary-based information literacy."   

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