Profiling information-seeking behavior of mosque speechmakers in Upper Egypt
Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication
ISSN: 2514-9342
Article publication date: 7 July 2020
Issue publication date: 20 October 2020
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is attracting attention to the use of information by mosque speechmakers (MSs) in the Islamic and Arabic world, specifically in Upper Egypt.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a survey, which was conducted from September to November 2019. A structured questionnaire was designed in Arabic and distributed to the mosques that were chosen as a sample to represent all the mosques of Upper Egypt. The researcher sampled 5% (n = 421) of the total of 8,421 mosques in Upper Egypt.
Findings
The findings showed the majority of the MSs in Upper Egypt are to be older (from 36 to 60 years, educated [mostly with BA degrees]), married and with an average monthly income over LE 3,500. Almost all MSs were strongly looking for information to make specific/general research, to make a religious lecture and be aware of contemporary events. The most frequently used sources of information by MSs were biographies, books, mass media, references and the Web. Most of the MSs had been using information heavily. The highest percentage of them spent from 7 to 12 h a week searching for information. MSs preferred the use of printed sources of information to those non-print sources. Mobile apps, followed by the Web and information databases were the most significant technological tools used by MSs. MSs’ efficiency level of using English was good and a reasonable number of them indicated that they were not good at speaking other languages, such as French. The home/personal library and the special library were the most important types of libraries used by MSs. The unaffected role of the library to access information, followed by the use of foreign languages to access some sources of information, as well as the use of technology, were the most significant problems faced by MSs when searching for information.
Research limitations/implications
This paper investigates the topic of MSs’ use of and access to information. This topic, unfortunately, has limited previous research, particularly in the Arabic and Islamic environment.
Practical implications
This paper provides valuable insight into the information behavior of a very significant client group, namely, MSs.
Originality/value
Being one of the very few studies conducted on these beneficiaries of information in the Arab and Islamic environment, this study is considered a unique one among several studies conducted in the area of the information-seeking behavior, especially with such a significant group of information users/seekers in such influencing environment in the world. The findings of this study may help in a better understanding of the information-seeking behavior of the MSs.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
My sincere thanks to the Mosque speechmakers in Upper Egypt for their sincere cooperation with me in completing the study questionnaire and also providing the necessary advice.
Citation
Mansour, E. (2020), "Profiling information-seeking behavior of mosque speechmakers in Upper Egypt", Global Knowledge, Memory and Communication, Vol. 69 No. 8/9, pp. 635-652. https://doi.org/10.1108/GKMC-02-2020-0018
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited