Economics of information Goods: An interdisciplinary Subject for Israeli LIS and MBA Curricula

1. Economics of information Goods: An interdisciplinary Subject for Israeli LIS and MBA Curricula Dr. Noa Aharony Library and Information Studies, Beit Berl College noa.aharony@beitberl.ac.il Dr. Daphne Raban Graduate School of Management, U. of Haifa draban@univ.haifa.ac.il כנס צייס 2007

2. Changes in the Information Landscape and in LIS Education • In the past: • Information-related subjects were taught mostly in LIS programs • The traditional focus of LIS was on containers rather than on content • Librarians were traditionally concerned with describing, storing and disseminating information products כנס צייס 2007

3. Trends in LIS Education: The Kaliper Report (Durrance, et al., 2000) • Change from a library-focus model to an information-focus paradigm • Increased user-centeredness and increased interdisciplinarity • LIS programs are increasing the investment in and infusion of Information Technology into their curricula כנס צייס 2007

4. Additonal Trends: • Information is taught in various disciplines: • The role of information in creating power and wealth is attracting the attention of numerous programs such as: • computer science • business schools • communications • schools of library and information science (Rehman, 2000). כנס צייס 2007

5. What is:“Economics of Information Goods”? • Learn how information is similar to and different from other goods in markets • Learn what influences the value and price of information • Examples of Subjects Covered • Trading for $$$ versus free sharing – Anderson’s Switch • Bundling • Versioning • Lock-in • Network rules • Ownership rights • Value creation and enhancement • Subjective versus objective value כנס צייס 2007

6. Our Assumptions • We believe that learning the economic aspect of information should be an integral part of information-related programs • We propose that gaining a good understanding of the rules of information economics is important for the survival of librarians and information professionals: • "Technology changes, Economic laws do not" (Shapiro and Varian, 1999) כנס צייס 2007

7. Learning Strategies: Deep and Surface • Biggs' teaching- learning model (1993) • A student's approach towards the learning process is a combination of the motivation and the strategy that he or she adopts during the learning process • The deep learning strategy • The surface learning strategy כנס צייס 2007

8. Our Research Hypotheses • H1: There is a significant difference in the attitudes towards information-related subject areas between students, lecturers, and information professionals. • H2: There is a significant difference in the attitudes towards information economics in two different curricula: a business school and an information studies curriculum. • H3: There is a significant difference in the attitudes towards information economics between two practitioner sub-groups, academic librarians and information professionals from the business/industry sector. כנס צייס 2007

9. Our Research Hypotheses – cont. • H4: A deep learning strategy is associated with higher attitude scores towards information-related subject areas among students than a surface learning strategy • H5: A deep learning strategy is associated with higher attitudes scores towards information economics among students than a surface learning strategy. כנס צייס 2007

10. Method Sample: • Practitioners: 31 academic librarians, 28 information professionals • Students: 43 information studies, 44 business school • Lecturers: 22 information studies, 12 business school כנס צייס 2007

11. Research Tools • A personal details questionnaire • A subject-area attitude questionnaire: 5 Factors • InfoEcon, CI, InfoMgmt, Search, MBA • An information economics attitude questionnaire • A learning strategies questionnaire: 2 Factors • Deep and Surface כנס צייס 2007

12. Results • H1: Rejected for the combined factors (no significant diff. between groups, overall mean score=3.89); Accepted for Search and MBA • H2: Rejected for staff, staff+students; Accepted for students (business>InfoStud.) • H3: Accepted, (InfoPros>AcadLibr.) • H4: Students were found to be deep learners (mean score=3.37) rather than surface learners (mean score=2.11) …cont. כנס צייס 2007

13. Results – cont. H4: correlations between learning strategies and subject areas 13.4% 6.4% 7.8% 7.5% 8.7% כנס צייס 2007

14. Results – cont. The mean score on the Information Economics Attitude Questionnaire was 2.91 (N=88, S.D.=0.73). Four statements(1,2,4,9) received the highest scores ranging from 3.20 to 3.47. H5:Accepted. The deep learning strategy is correlated with the Information Economics attitude questionnaire (R=0.31, p<0.01; 12.4% of the variance explained by the regression model). כנס צייס 2007

15. Discussion • H1: • No diff. overall is surprising and encouraging, shows interest and openness • Diff. for Search (InfoPros>IS Students) and MBA (Students, Staff>InfoPros) • H2: • Business Students>IS Students, however both scores were high suggesting awareness • H3: • Business IPs>Acad. Libr., as expected. If we are to train students for the wider job market, the need for InfoEcon is clear. כנס צייס 2007

16. Discussion – cont. • H4: • Master’s students tend to be deep learners • Trend: Positive correlations with deep learning, and negative correlations with surface learning • H5: • Deep learners, such as Masters’ students in both programs, had more positive views on InfoEcon, indicating a thirst for fundamental understanding of the driving force of the information economy כנס צייס 2007

17. Thank You! Dr. Noa Aharony Library and Information Studies, Beit Berl College noa.aharony@beitberl.ac.il Dr. Daphne Raban Graduate School of Management, U. of Haifa draban@univ.haifa.ac.il כנס צייס 2007