Author: Dulce Maria Baptista

Qualitative research aimed at investigating information needs, as well as ways and mechanisms for obtaining it by Brazilian representative entities in their capacity as opinion makers. Such needs are related to the objectives of each entity and involve political and managerial aspects. The study mainly addresses managerial aspects, by describing information search behaviors, resources used in this search, and the use of information itself, which serves, in general, to substantiate positions and as an indispensable subsidy for the influence that representative institutions intend to exercise. A sample composed of nine entities related to the following sectors was selected for the study: industry, education, unions, workers, banking sector, women, black culture and consumers. For data collection, triangulation techniques were used, with informal interviews, questionnaire application and document analysis. The results reveal that printed sources have the same importance for entities as the Internet; informal communication does not constitute the main information resource; there are convergences both in terms of information needs and in terms of the behavior adopted by entities when seeking information of interest.

https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/bc45/8cc7e45b7d446411a8d0cfa374ebcaa1cbaf.pdf