Trust and organisational effectiveness: Discrepancies between users' service preferences and the library system's construction of their needs

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to discuss the relationship between the concepts of social capital and organisational effectiveness in a library setting.

Design/methodology/approach

The concepts are discussed in relation to two studies of information behaviour. One of the studies is a local public library study and the second is a nationwide survey into high school students' information behaviour.

Findings

The data indicate a discrepancy between the development of (especially) public library services and the perceptions of a library in the mind of both users and non‐users.

Research limitations/implications

It has only been possible to raise a few questions on the basis of the two surveys. However, these questions relate to the theoretical concepts introduced in the beginning of this paper.

Originality/value

The paper highlights discrepancies that need to be remedied if the trust that is so important for public institutions is to continue to be at a high level.

Citation

Ole Pors, N. (2008), "Trust and organisational effectiveness: Discrepancies between users' service preferences and the library system's construction of their needs", Performance Measurement and Metrics, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1108/14678040810869431