Co‐term network analysis as a means of describing the information landscapes of knowledge communities across sectors
| Pages | 548-562 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410210441577 |
| Published date | 01 October 2002 |
| Date | 01 October 2002 |
| Author | Neil Jacobs |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Library & information science |
JDOC
58,5
548
Journal of Documentation,
Vol. 58 No. 5, 2002, pp. 548-562.
#MCB UP Limited, 0022-0418
DOI 10.1108/00220410210441577
Received 7 January 2002
Revised 27 May 2002
Accepted 31 May 2002
Co-term network analysis as a
means of describing the
information landscapes of
knowledge communities
across sectors
Neil Jacobs
Regard, Institute for Learning and Research Technology,
University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
Keywords Knowledge workers, Information systems, Public sector, Voluntary organizations,
Universities
Abstract Many and varied information sources are used by researchers and managers across
sectors relevant to public policy development. When aggregated, these sources can be described in
terms of sector-specific information landscapes. This paper describes results from a survey that
investigated such landscapes and relates them to the working practices of those for whom they
were relevant. This is achieved through the use of co-word or co-term analysis, a technique
derived from actor-network theory. This technique allows for the production of graphic plots of
normalised free text term pairs, which take into account inclusiveness. The results suggest that
knowledge communities can be identified by this technique.
Overview
Technology is society made durable (Latour, 1991). Similarly, information
resources are structured according to the organisational arrangements that lie
behind and before them. Information, then, is not sociologically ``neutral'', and
information seeking behaviour is social through and through. Swan et al. (1999)
have noted that the appropriate level of analysis for the innovation process is
that of the ``knowledge community''. This paper investigates whether a similar
statement can be made for the policy process, especially as it relates to the
information networks used across different sectors wherein social research is
produced or used.
Background
The relationship of practice between community agency and structural
constraint lies at the heart of recent work on information systems and services.
Jacobs and Huxley (2002) note how information service providers seek to
engage with existing communities of users in an effort to develop appropriately
structured services. Referring specifically to academics, Davies (1997) notes
that such endogenous factors as peer pressure ``determine not only their
perception of the systems they use, but whether or not they will even try to use
them''. On the other hand, Komito (1998) notes that ``an information system, by
virtue of its design, is also a system of social control''. Again, working from a
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
http://www.emeraldinsight.com/0022-0418.htm
To continue reading
Request your trial