Parliamentarians information needs and seeking behavior:
A case study of Kuwait
Nahed M. AlHaidari
Brunel university
School of Information Systems, Computing and
Mathematics
Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK
Nahed.alhaidari@brunel.ac.uk
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study to identify and evaluate the
information needs and behavior of parliamentarians in
Kuwait. Also, evaluate the information role in political life.
A self administer survey will be conducted in this study. In
addition, qualitative methodology will be used such as indepth interview, observation. A Total of 50 members of
parliament will participate in this study.
Keywords
Parliamentarians, Information needs, information behavior,
Kuwait .
INTRODUCTION
Information is vital aspect in any society. Many profession
were investigated in literature such as voters, consumers,
patients, gatekeeper, and students (Case, 2007).
parliamentarians and politician also explored as part of the
society. In political society and legislature society
legislators and member of the parliament need information
for making vital decision for their citizen, representative,
and country. Timley, authorative and current information
are needed to achieve all this. In decision making process
parliamentarians and legislators are expected to have
enough and adequate information to be able to make
decisions for the entire nation. (Mostert and Ocholla (2005).
Need for information play an important role in
parliamentarian life.
LITERETURE REVIEW
Previous studies have examined information needs and
information seeking behavior, especially in the western
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literature .
In UK, Marcella, Carcary and Baxter (1999) conducted a
study to examine the information need of United Kingdom
member of the European parliament (MEPs). Postal
questionnaire were sent to 79 MEPs in UK plus 8 for
Scottish constituencies. They found that all MEPs used
unofficial, informal contacts. Most of them preferred to use
internet to locate information. The majority of member
tends to use the library a source of information.
Followed this study, Orton ,Marcella and Baxter in
conducted another study in (2000) .They use qualitative
methodology in particular observation. The researchers
observed their seeking behavior It was found that formal
and informal contacts and specialists organizations were
used to satisfy their information needs. Also they used
research assistants and library staff to get more information
Another area was explored to examine the use information
communication technology by (PM). A study was done by
Smith and Webster (2004) in Scotland. They send mail
questionnaire to 129 MSPs. It was shown that the majority
95.7 % used ICT to search for information.
In Switzerland, Chappelet (2004) examined the use of eICT (information and communication technologies)
by
(MPs) in Switzerland . The finding reveals that more than
have of the MPs 62.5% used the Internet daily. The
majority agreed 85.2% that the Internet is informative for
them.
Africans scholars also examined the information needs of
their political legislators. Aleman & Skouby (2000)
examine the information needs & information seeking
behavior of members of Ghana legislators. The finding
revealed the majority of members need information when
for preparing debate in the parliament. Interestingly, it was
found that low level of using electronic information.
Mostert and Ocholla (2004) conducted their study to
examine the information sources, systems and services in
South Africa. They adopted Wislon’s model (1999). The
findings indicated that parliamentarians preferred to use
internet and electronic sources of information rather that
parliament library. In conclusion, they proposed a
conceptual model that includes a variety of information
sources.
5 – what are the barriers during the process if information
seeking?
Nalumag (2009) investigated Ugandan Women legislators
members barriers in information seeking comparing to
their male counterpart. Using both in-depth interview and
observation, the result showed that women legislators
information challenges tended to be regarding the social
context and political context.
6- what are the differences and similarities between male
and females parliamentarians in information needs and
behavior?
Asian scholar like Prakash & Shailendra (2007) explored
the information needs of members of the legislatives
Assembly in Delhi (India). Questionnaire as methodology
were used to 71 OF MLAs , in addition to short interview.
The finding shown that the parliamentarians have described
the problem with difficulties during information process
such as: lack of time, information not readily available, and
delay in publication. In addition, the majority depends on
newspapers, reports assembly& parliamentary committees
to get the latest and authentic information.
Studies were done in UK, Switzerland, and Africa to
explore what is parliamentarians information needs how to
they seek for information. No studies have been done in
Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC).
Only one notable study has been done in Middle east by
Freiden (1993) to determine the needs of members of the
Israeli parliament(Knesset). It was found that the participant
parley used the computerized information services to get
the information.
Also in decision making process
parliamentarians don’t rely on objectives, adequate and
reliable information. .
Examining the previous literature, there is need for
information play an important role in parliamentarian life.
Members have different information needs in order to make
the right decision for the nation. It appears that access to
reliable and adequate information is an important aspect in
parliamentarian political life, that s researchers need to
explore the area of information need and identify the
challenges that encounter them .
The significance of this study is to identify valuable results
among parliamentarian in Kuwait, these result may help
other researchers in GCC countries and Arab world to
conduct studies among parliamentarian and legislatures in
their countries and understand their information need. &
information seeking behavior Knowing which would
improve their decision making process in democracy
process.
This study will address this research questions:
1 – what is the parliamentarian's information needs?
2 – what are parliamentarian's sources to get information
they need?
3- How to they seek for information needed in their
political life?
4- why they are motivated to seek information ?
7- Do culture has impact on information behavior?
The case of Kuwait: Kuwait National Assembly: ( Majlis
Al-Umma)
The National Assembly of Kuwait is the legislature house
of Kuwait. In 1963 the first constitutionally elected
assembly took place. Currently there are five e
geographically distributed electoral districts. Every voter
can choose up to four candidates only the parliament of
Kuwait contains fifty seats. Only ten candidates from each
district can win. In 2009, Four women were elected, for the
first time, are parliament members in the Kuwait National
Assembly. (Kuwait national Assembly website)
INFORMATION SEEKING MODELS
Case (2007) compared the seven known models that were
used in information needs and behavior literature.
Author (s)
Number
of
factors
or
stages
Main
antecedent
Main
factors or
Wilson,1981
12
Need
Seeking
purchase
Demands;
success;
failure; use;
transfer;
satisfaction
or non
satisfaction
Krikelas,1983
13
Need
creating
event or
environment
Internal
and
external
sources
Observations;
interpersonal
contact; use
of literature,
memory, or
personal
files; giving;
gathering
Leckie,
Pettgrew, and
Sylvian,1996
6
Work roles;
tasks
Needs;
sources;
awareness
“outcomes”
Variables
Main
Outcomes of
Model of
Behavior
Author (s)
Bystrom and
Jarvelin,1995
Savolainen,
NO
of
factor
s or
stage
s
Main
antecedent
9
Subjective
Task
15+
1995, 2005
Johnson,1997
Wilson,
1996, 1999a
7
14-20
Main factors
or
Variables
Desire to
master life,
keep order
Personal and
situational
factors;
personal
Types of
mastery;
Way of life;
projects;
situations
Main
Outcomes
of Model
of
Behavior
Informatio
n needs
analysis;
choice of
action;
implement
ation;
evaluation
PIRS1: Own information searching
PIRS2:
Information
seeking
through an intermediary
PIRS3: Intermediaries searching
for
information
from
the
information environment
PIRS3
PIRS2
PL
Parliamentarian in
Working Context
Information
carrier and
utilities and
characteristi
cs
“Action”
Context;
person-in
context
Psychologic
al
demographic
s; role
related;
environment
al; source
characteristi
cs
Passive
attentions;
passive
search;
active
search;
ongoing
search;
seeking,
use and
processing
PR
PA2
“keeping
thing in
order”;
Problem
solving
behaviors
Demographics
; direct
experience;
silence; beliefs
PA1:Personal assistant
PA2: Recommended role for
PA1
PL: Parliamentary Librarian
PR: Parliamentary researchers
PA1
information
environment
Formal
information
sources
informal
information
sources
oral
information
sources
electronic
information
sources
PIRE1
variables
Psychological
Environmental
Demographic
role
related/interpersonal
source
characteristics
culture
Table 1. Comparing the Seven Models, p. 139
In this study we will adopt Mostert and Ocholla (2005)
model of information seeking behavior . In addition, we
will integrate additional factors which is culture. According
to Komlodi (2005) culture differences are missing when
conducting information behavior studies.
METHODOLOGY
This study will used method methodology, quantitative and
qualitative. In quantitative, self administered survey will be
distributed to parliamentarians. In addition, in depth
interviews and observation will be used as qualitative
approaches.
CONCLUSION
This study is aiming to assess better understanding of
information need of parliamentarians in Kuwait National
Assembly by using both quantitative meth and qualitative
method or mixed methodology. In addition, to the lack of
literature that discuss the information needs and seeking
behavior of member of assembly not only in Kuwait but
also in GCC countries. The significance of this study it is an
exploratory study that examine new issue in Kuwait
political society. This study tends to be the first study that
discusses information need of parliamentarians. This study
is an attempt to investigate the information needs of
parliamentarian from Arabic cultural perspective, by
integrating the cultural variable in the adopted model.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author would like to thank Ms Summayah AlFaresi for
encouraging her to write this paper.
REFERENCES