Title: Information-seeking Behaviour and Information-access Challenges of National Industrial Engineers
Author(s): Olayinka Babayemi Makinde, Glenrose Velile Jiyane, Tinashe Mugwisi
Publication Year: 2021; Volume 16, Issue 2, pages 16-32

Studying engineers in diverse organizations where they work can never be too much because of their complex nature and the assorted tasks they are involved in. This study sought to investigate the information-seeking behaviour and information-access challenges of national industrial engineers. A survey research design was adopted. Total population sampling a type of purposive sampling technique was employed. A structured questionnaire was distributed to all the 31 national engineers of a foremost federal research institute in Nigeria. Data analysis was univariate using descriptive statistics of percentages. The study revealed that Internet sources were the most frequently used of the information sources. Findings on the kinds of subject information revealed that information on fundamental areas of industrial engineering were not satisfactorily sought. Poor infrastructure poor research environment and lack of recent books were revealed as topmost challenges faced in accessing information. Despite the studys limitation of adopting a small and non-probabilistic sample it evidently shows that national industrial engineers utilize many human and non-human information sources at significantly high levels simultaneously. Consequently provision must be made for all these information sources.