Researchers who apply the social perspective see information users first of all as the members of a particular community, social category or group. They recognize the social placement or a professional role as the most important determinants of users’ information behaviour. For example, the model developed by Katzer and Fletcher (1992) shows specific information behaviour of managers. The relationship between behaviour and social environment is also underlined in Wersig et al.’s (1982) or Woźniak’s (1992) models. In organizational perspective most important determinants of information behaviour are connected with the type of organization or system in which users work, and formal and informal flows of information in organization microenvironment. The models of communication in organization show that the place a user occupies in organization structure is crucial for how well he or she is informed (Sobkowiak, 1997). Ingwersen’s model (1995) suggests even that communication in organizations deserves to be a separate subject of research on information users. Finally, the socio-cognitive perspective underlines the influence of the social environment on a person’s knowledge. Researchers who take such perspective assume that information behaviour strongly depends on the processes of social learning (a concept introduced in Wilson’s model).

Information behaviour models present a certain section or a full sequence of activities, which lead to obtaining information. Some of them concentrate on the phase when information need arises, which is called ‘problem recognition’, ‘problem identification’ or ‘verbalization’. Such models, as in Dervin’s sense-making model (1983) or Wilson’s problem solving model (1999) abstract the intellectual process of problem solving from the context, and focus on it. Others, such as Wersig and Windel (1985) or Katzer and Fletcher (1992) models present problem solving as environmentally conditioned. Some models give a static picture of the user (for example, Wersig et al., 1982; Ingwersen, 1995 or Próchnicka, 1991), others show the user in action, progressing from problem definition, through information seeking, interaction with certain information systems to the stage of information processing and use. Examples of the latter are the models of Wilson (1981, 1996, 1999), Woźniak (1989), Katzer and Fletcher ( 1992), or, restricted to the stage of information search, those of Ellis (1989) or Kuhlthau (1991). These models stress the dynamic and cyclic character of information behaviour.

The models selectively referred to are complementary to one another, or put in light various stages of the process. The sequence of information behaviour is relatively most complete (from need identification to information use) in Wilson’s macro-model (1996). This model presents also full range of influencing factors and mechanisms: cognitive, social and environmental, and it integrates most of mentioned earlier research perspectives. That is why this model was chosen as a general framework for, the described briefly in the introduction, preliminary investigation into information behaviour of managers in health care system, conducted in Poland. As it was said earlier, during the study progress and in the light of research results Wilson’s model occurred to have some shortcomings and not to encompass the major behaviour of a category of users under investigation.

Wilson’s general model of information behaviour

Wilson’s revised model of 1996 is presented in Figure 1. It pictures the cycle of information activities, from the rise of information need to the phase when information is being used. It includes various intervening variables, which have a significant influence on information behaviour, and mechanisms which activate it.

Individual features form a unique personality:Personality is a set of unique and relatively stable individual features of a person, which express his/her identity, and are developed in a process of biological, psychological and social development by person’s environment and his/her own cognitive activity. (Olechnicki and Załecki, 2000).

and strongly determine information behaviour of an individual. Personal characteristics influence choice and hierarchy of information needs, and how strong they are. But, numerous cognitive needs have their main cause outside a person. They arise as a consequence of social roles a person plays or are induced by the environmental conditions.Social role is a defined, socially conditioned and internally cohesive set of rules and expectations in reference to the desired behaviour of an individual in specific situations connected with his/her social position. It is also a set of basic privileges, rights and regulations that relate to the person’s position in a group. An individual can simultaneously play many social roles, among them – professional roles. (Olechnicki and Załecki, 2000)

In spite of individual predisposing features, the information needs of a medical doctor differ from those of a nurse, and the needs of the same persons vary depending on the changes in environment. The features of the roles a person plays in life, including professional roles, are the effect of the behaviour patterns established in a society for the particular role, for example, mother, leader, manager, doctor or member of a particular group. The features of a professional role are strictly connected with the occupied position, job character, and a place in professional hierarchy. Certain roles indicate specific information needs. Finally, the environment, within which life and work of information user takes place encompasses social environment, its organizational structure, including the information services and systems, economic situation, technology, culture, tradition, etc. The environment conditions the occurrence of certain needs; for example, they differ in periods of political and economic changes from the needs present in a time of stability. In analysing the users’ environment we can take into consideration the macro-environment (socio-political and economic system of a country or industry sector), mezzo environment (that is, regional environment, local community, a particular city) or the micro-environment of a single organization. Formal and informal information sources and channels function on all levels. Their characteristic features may influence (stimulate or hinder) information needs and determine behaviour. These contextual factors influence not only the occurrence, and determine the kind of a need, but they also affect the perception of information barriers, and the ways in which a need is satisfied. Factors conditioning information behaviour can be supportive or preventive. To indicate this twofold impact, Wilson uses a term ‘intervening variables’, instead of ‘barriers’, which was used in his 1981 model.

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