The Experts below are selected from a list of 222 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

Janneke Mostert - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • parliamentary Information sources systems and services in south africa
    South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 2013
    Co-Authors: Janneke Mostert
    Abstract:

    Parliamentarians need accessible, current and authoritative Information for decision-making. However, within the African continent Information sources, systems and services are not always well organized and accessible. South Africa, relatively speaking has a well-organized Information sector making a variety of Information sources, systems and services available to the parliamentarian. The aim of the paper is to discuss the Information needs of the South African parliamentarians, what sources they use to access Information, and explore what the Information sector in South Africa can provide to satisfy their Information needs. The Information for writing this paper was gained through a literature review, interviews, and an empirical study. The study targeted all the South African parliamentarians, and a questionnaire was used to gain Information from the respondents. One hundred and sixty seven (23%) responses were received. The parliamentarians expressed a variety of Information needs. Although the predominant preference source of Information was still for printed sources (78%), the use of electronic sources (24%) was notable, taken into account its recent introduction. A myriad of Information sources, and systems and services are available to the parliamentarian, either by visiting the Information provider in person, or via telephone, faxing, visiting a website or e-mail. The parliamentarians however do not always make time or have the skills to access the Information sources. It is strongly recommended that the services of a professionally trained Information Intermediary such as a parliamentary librarian be used to gate keep the Information overload and provide the parliamentarian with the needed Information. The increasing use of non-professional Information providers such as Personal Assistant should be minimized and further investigated.

  • parliamentary Information sources systems and services in south africa research article
    South African Journal of Libraries and Information Science, 2005
    Co-Authors: Janneke Mostert
    Abstract:

    Parliamentarians need accessible, current and authoritative Information for decision-making. However, within the African continent Information sources, systems and services are not always well organized and accessible. South Africa, relatively speaking has a well-organized Information sector making a variety of Information sources, systems and services available to the parliamentarian. The aim of the paper is to discuss the Information needs of the South African parliamentarians, what sources they use to access Information, and explore what the Information sector in South Africa can provide to satisfy their Information needs. The Information for writing this paper was gained through a literature review, interviews, and an empirical study. The study targeted all the South African parliamentarians, and a questionnaire was used to gain Information from the respondents. One hundred and sixty seven (23%) responses were received. The parliamentarians expressed a variety of Information needs. Although the predominant preference source of Information was still for printed sources (78%), the use of electronic sources (24%) was notable, taken into account its recent introduction. A myriad of Information sources, and systems and services are available to the parliamentarian, either by visiting the Information provider in person, or via telephone, faxing, visiting a website or e-mail. The parliamentarians however do not always make time or have the skills to access the Information sources. It is strongly recommended that the services of a professionally trained Information Intermediary such as a parliamentary librarian be used to gate keep the Information overload and provide the parliamentarian with the needed Information. The increasing use of non-professional Information providers such as Personal Assistant should be minimized and further investigated.

Lu Chen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Does Information Undermine Brand? Information Intermediary Use and Preference for Branded Web Retailers
    Journal of Industrial Economics, 2006
    Co-Authors: Joel Waldfogel, Lu Chen
    Abstract:

    Abstract Investments in advertising to create brands provide one method for vendors to convince potential customers that vendors will deliver as promised. Alternatively, third-party Information on whether retailers tend to keep their commitments can serve a similar function and may undermine investments in brand. This study uses a 13-month panel dataset on 1998-99 Internet shopping behavior and use of Information intermediaries by over 30,000 households to examine whether Information use undermines brand. We find that individuals using price comparison sites , such as DealTime and mySimon, reduce their Amazon shopping by about a tenth, while individuals using BizRate, which provides both price comparison and vendor reliability Information, reduce their Amazon shopping by a quarter. The results have possible implications for both firm strategy and the evolution of market structure. If Information weakens the pull of brand, then Internet retailing may grow less concentrated over time. We are grateful to the Wharton e-Business Initiative (WeBI) for financial support.

  • Does Information Undermine Brand? Information Intermediary Use and Preference for Branded Web Retailers
    National Bureau of Economic Research, 2003
    Co-Authors: Joel Waldfogel, Lu Chen
    Abstract:

    Investments in brand provide one method for vendors to become known and convince potential customers that vendors will deliver as promised. Alternatively, third-party Information on retailers' existence, as well as whether they tend to keep their commitments can serve a similar function and may undermine investments in brand. This study uses a 13-month panel dataset on 1998-99 Internet shopping behavior and use of Information intermediaries by over 30,000 households to examine whether Information use undermines brand. We find that individuals who take up using price comparison sites reduce their shopping at a broad group of branded retailers by about a tenth. Users of pure price comparison sites, such as DealTime and mySimon, also reduce their Amazon by about a tenth, while individuals using BizRate, which provides both price comparison and vendor reliability Information, reduce their Amazon shopping by a fifth. The results have possible implications for both firm strategy and the evolution of market structure. If Information weakens the pull of brand, then Internet retailing may grow less concentrated over time.

Ian Ruthven - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Sophia J W Hamm - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The role of the business press as an Information Intermediary
    Journal of Accounting Research, 2010
    Co-Authors: Brian J. Bushee, Wayne Guay, John E. Core, Sophia J W Hamm
    Abstract:

    This paper investigates whether the business press serves as an Information Intermediary. The press potentially shapes firms’ Information environments by packaging and disseminating Information, as well as by creating new in- formation through journalism activities. We find that greater press coverage reduces Informationasymmetry (i.e., lower spreadsandgreater depth)around earnings announcements, with broad dissemination of Information having a bigger impact than the quantity or quality of press-generated Information. These results are robust to controlling for firm-initiated disclosures, market reactions to the announcement, and other Information intermediaries. Our findings suggest that the press helps reduce Information problems around earnings announcements

Paul J. Simko - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • The Information Intermediary Role of Short Sellers
    The Accounting Review, 2005
    Co-Authors: Grace Pownall, Paul J. Simko
    Abstract:

    This paper examines the conditions under which the market responds to disclosures of significant increases in short selling, and whether proxies for earnings expectations and alternative Information sources help explain this response. Our sample is based on firms that experience abnormal short interest increases (“short spikes”) during 1989–1998. We find that the mean abnormal return around short spike announcements is significantly more negative for firms with low analyst following, consistent with short sellers providing perceived value when there are limited alternative sources of guidance available. For firms with high analyst following we find the market response is dependent on earnings levels, consistent with investors viewing a short interest increase as providing Information about the sustainability of earnings. Additional analyses reveal that these inferences are not affected by measures of firms' earnings quality or by the relative size of the short spike. We infer from our analyses that the in...