Information Use and Decision Making by Market Women in Lagos, Nigeria
The purpose of this study was to investigate how the use of information assists market women in making informed decisions. It is well documented in literature that businesses that boom in the 21 st century are businesses that are information driven. However, it’s not clear if market women do make information a priority to make business decisions. A survey research design was used with disproportionate stratified sampling technique. Four hundred market women  in Alade market Lagos participated in the study. A self developed questionnaire  Out of 400 copies of questionnaire distributed, 300 (75%) of them were returned. The findings indicated that there was  a significant relationship between information utilization by market women and their  decision making practices. The use of  newspapers,  information about distributors, radio and television were among the key sources women consulted in order to make their decisions concerning their businesses. The study recommended that information professionals and the Ministry of Commerce should work together to conduct and sponsor research on trends in the market and  make them available to market women in formats such as daily and business newspapers. Keywords : Information sources, Information use, Decision making, Market women
The nature of information, and the effective use of information in rural development
Introduction. We report on the role of information in the development of rural communities where the impact of the oral tradition remains very strong. The nature of the attributes, and the particular type of communication mechanisms to be used, have been proposed as key factors in the use of information in rural communities. Method. Literature studies have been conducted to determine the nature of information, and information handling skills of traditional people. An indepth study with field visits provided information on real-life practices. Analysis. A qualitative analysis has been carried out to match evidence from a case study and field visits with evidence in the literature. Requirements for the development process were taken into account. Results. A comparison of the attributes of information with the requirements for development of traditional people revealed that certain attributes of information are conducive to development while others can be counterproductive to the development process if not addressed properly. Conclusion. The successful use of information as a resource for development depends in large part on knowledge of the nature of information and the ability of senders to apply appropriate communication mechanisms understandable to traditional people. This has implications for people involved in the development of rural communities.
The Impact of the Transfer of Information Technology on Development
Abstract Like other technical changes, the new information technologies have inspired hopes and fears. The optimists celebrate the “technologies of freedom” and their potential for growth and autonomy, the enhancement of skills and culture, the elimination of unpleasant and boring tasks (Pool 1984). On the other hand, the pessimists fear dehumanized work, growing unemployment, and bureaucracy, with unavoidable threats to privacy (Mosco 1987; Robins and Webster 1983). In the communication and development debate, similar polarized attitudes are to be found. The technological optimists of the so‐called “modernization paradigm” claim that the transfer of information technologies to the developing world will spectacularly enhance the process of development. Commentators arguing from within this paradigm point out that the transfer of appropriate information technology can contribute to the creation of new social structures that will adequately respond to the needs of the developing world. At the other extreme,...