Dissertation Information for Mervat Abdelhak NAME: - Mervat Abdelhak
DEGREE:
- Ph.D.
DISCIPLINE:
- Library and Information Science
SCHOOL:
- University of Pittsburgh (USA) (1981)
ADVISORS: - Allen Kent
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: - Kenneth Leon Montgomery - James G. Williams - Donald Shirey - Anne Pascasio
MPACT Status: Fully Complete
Title: AN INFORMATION TRANSFER PARADIGM: EXPLORATION OF A CONCEPT
Abstract: The need for a better understanding of the information transfer phenomenon is documented rather well in the literature. In response to that need, an attempt was made to extend our understanding of the information user/resource system interface as a step towards the development of an information transfer paradigm.
The conceptualization of the information transfer event was begun in this research. The methodology chosen was that of modeling. A descriptive model was selected as a vehicle or a tool of conceptualization and representation of the information transfer process. Qualitative content analysis was the procedure utilized for the development and testing of that model.
An assumption was made and a rationale provided for the use of communications from the field of social change, planned change, and innovation diffusion and adoption to aid in the development and testing of the information transfer paradigm. Following an examination of theories of social change, a three-phase configuration and a phase-movement hypothesis, representing the content categories were proposed.
In the hypothesis testing phase, documents from the field of innovation diffusion and adoption were studied. Adequate support was evidenced affirming the existence of the phase-movement hypothesis, as well as the existence of two phases of the three-phase hypothesis, with only partial support for the final phase. Since the information transfer paradigm is a generalized model, aims at generalizing across a variety of information transfer instances, within the field of innovation diffusion and adoption, was attempted.
Finally, it is the researcher's working bias that the information transfer paradigm proposed in this study and the testing begun can only be seen as tentative and probing. It is the hope of the researcher that a larger number of information scientists will recognize the potentiality and fruitfulness of this area of study and carry this research further.
| |
MPACT Scores for Mervat Abdelhak A = 0
C = 2
A+C = 2
T = 0
G = 0
W = 0
TD = 0
TA = 0
calculated 2008-01-31 06:22:21
Advisors and Advisees Graph
|