This thesis examines the way that art historians build their personal information collections through focusing on how they gather, use and manage information in the context of their research and teaching projects. In recent years, the rapid technological advancements and the proliferation of digital resources have greatly affected the way scholars approach, create and manage information in the Arts and Humanities. Regarding art historians, most studies so far have looked at their information seeking behaviour. Therefore, there is little information available on how researchers in this area handle the information after discovery. This is the first study exploring this aspect of scholarship in the field of art history; for this purpose, individual interviews with twenty art historians were conducted along with observation of their personal information collections in the physical and digital environment. The results showed that certain areas in art history have still limited access to useful digital resources while there were certain factors- previously not thoroughly explored- influencing scholars' trust of resources, such as the design of a resource. The emerging types of information objects used for research and teaching in the field, such as born digital data, were also linked to needs noted throughout the scholarly workflow that have not been met yet. Moreover, the two-phase gathering behaviour of scholars suggested that art historians have different information needs at different stages of the research process; an important issue considering that previous research has looked at this practice more as part of the initial stages of research in the field. Finally, examining the information management behaviour of scholars led to the identification of the implications for resource design to effectively facilitate research and pedagogical practice in this area; flexible designs, intuitive and visual interaction with information as well as simple interfaces were some the main things scholars needed.

Despite existing work, the nature and construction of knowledge boundaries remains little explored. Moreover, previous studies that have examined how knowledge is managed across boundaries, have usually been in the context of new product development in industry. Models developed in this context may be less applicable in the public sector because of its hierarchical structures and requirements for accountability. The aim of this research is therefore to explore the nature of boundaries and how knowledge is managed across them in a public sector context. The research takes a case study approach focusing on an interdisciplinary research project that was set up to develop Computerised Tomography (CT) and Digital X-Ray (DR) scanners in a governmental research organisation in Thailand. This is an ongoing joint project between two different knowledge communities from different disciplines and national research centres. It proposed the first development of the cone-beam CT scanner in Thailand, called DentiiScan. The research adopts an interpretative methodology to explore multiple viewpoints and meanings that actors attach to phenomena. Data were collected through a multi-method qualitative approach based on: face-to-face interview; participant observation; and collection of documentation and other artefacts. Data were analysed through thematic analysis. The findings from this case study suggest, in line with previous research, that there are three progressively complex boundaries: information-processing, interpretative, and political boundaries; and three progressively complex processes to overcome them: transfer, translation, and transformation. However, the findings suggest that knowledge management in such contexts is a more challenging and complicated undertaking than currently portrayed in previous work because: (i.) knowledge boundaries are dynamic and tend to change throughout the project life cycle, often co-existing and overlapping; (ii.) different actors look at the same phenomena but sometimes perceive them as different types of knowledge boundaries; and (iii.) boundaries do not only arise from differences in knowledge and disciplinary perception, but also from ignorance of these differences between interacting actors from different communities. Furthermore, in this case, the hierarchical organisational structures help to clarify differences and dependencies in knowledge and responsibility among members, and create clear lines of communication. This helps overcome boundaries though the chain of command makes decision-making slow. A framework for managing knowledge across boundaries that emerges from the analysis is proposed. This research extends theory and a model for managing knowledge across boundaries, more specifically Carlile’s three-tier model (2004, 2002), and demonstrates their applicability in a new setting. The findings bring into focus the complexity of knowledge management across boundaries by suggesting that sometimes they cannot be categorised easily. There is a need to acknowledge the dynamic nature, blurring, and simultaneity of boundaries; the potential for different actors to perceive the same phenomena as different types of knowledge boundaries; and ignorance of differences in knowledge and disciplinary perceptions between different interacting actors. The findings of this research can be used to identify the nature and construction of knowledge boundaries, the types of knowledge boundaries and processes to overcome them, including boundary-spanning mechanisms and competences that actors, whether they are individuals, groups or organisations, can develop to bridge them. In practical terms, the findings of this study suggest that: (i.) actors should pay attention to flexible and multi-dimensional perspectives for addressing the dynamic nature, blurring, fluidity, overlapping, and simultaneity of boundaries; (ii.) they should broaden their perspectives to understand differences in perceptions of where boundaries lie; (iii.) they should also expand their perceptions to understand the construction of knowledge boundaries from different dimensions such as lack of a full understanding and awareness about differences in knowledge between different knowledge communities; and (iv.) they should consider what are effective organisational structures, which combine both hierarchical and flexible elements, to support knowledge management and collaboration across boundaries.

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The cultural heritage of the Lanna region of upper northern Thailand is unique. One of its distinctive features is palm leaf manuscripts (“Khamphi Bailan”), which are viewed simultaneously as examples of sacred writing, means of transferring cultural knowledge, religious symbols, artefacts of beauty, products of a particular cultural tradition, and fragile historical documents. The aim of this study is to develop a model of community-based collection management for palm leaf manuscripts by exploring the views of community members and experts. Four models of community involvement provide possible guidelines for the management of these manuscripts. The first model is that of community-focused information services (Becvar & Srinivasan, 2009), taken from librarianship studies. The second and third are from archival science: participatory archiving (Shilton & Srinivasan, 2007) and community archiving (Flinn, 2007, 2010). The last model is that of indigenous curation (Kreps, 2005, 2008), which is influenced by the new museology. All of them are based on community engagement with cultural collections. The research method was interview-based and qualitative. Semi-structured interviews, participant observation and a photographic inventory (Collier & Collier, 1986) were used as the methods of data collection. The two groups of participants within the main study comprised 11 community members and 12 experts. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. The results of the study revealed that the community members and experts had similar ideas about the knowledge contained in PLMs, seeing their value in terms of Buddhism, herbal medicine, history, language and literature, and academic study and research. However, certain emphases were different. For example, although both groups regarded the teaching of Buddhist concepts as the most important content of PLMs, community members had more belief in the value being primarily sacred; the manuscripts, to them, allowed the making of religious merit. Further, the results demonstrated that the two sets of participants held slightly different views about how PLMs should be managed. In this respect, the experts thought that custodians should be the owners of PLMs because it was they who were directly responsible for the manuscripts; community members, in contrast, felt that the community itself should be recognised as possessing ownership. In terms of the classification of PLMs, the community group held the opinion that manuscripts should be classified by age and value; the experts showed a preference for using the content of PLMs to separate them into subject categories. Moreover, the experts opted for practicality and appearance in accessible storage methods to keep PLMs, but the community wanted to see the manuscripts stored in traditional ways, with new designs created in order to display the PLMs to the public. With regard to PLM preservation, it emerged that community members wished to maintain traditional approaches, particularly in the way that PLMs were kept but also in community events and community involvement, for example through following religious traditions and producing copies of the manuscripts. The experts tended to focus more on knowledge preservation, employing such methods as digitisation and protection of intellectual property rights. All four prior models of community involvement considered in this study concern communities which possess a level of control over their archives. This is not entirely the case for PLMs as Lanna communities are unable to read their own ancient script and thus rely on experts who can. It is these experts who manage the manuscripts. Moreover, PLMs are not used in daily life due to their being ancient material. Therefore, communities often tend to be unaware of their PLMs. Therefore, none of the existing models can be applied exactly to PLMs. For example, Srinivasan is mostly concerned with orally-transmitted knowledge. Flinn (2007, 2010) concentrates on how people might gather material of their own choice, but in the Lanna case the monasteries already hold their collections. The model proposed by Kreps (2005, 2008) is the most relevant here, focusing as it does on how, within existing social practices, people might develop their own ways of collecting, preserving and displaying objects. Given, then, that these existing theories do not deal adequately with PLMs, it became necessary to develop a model suitable to the context. The model proposed in this study contains two stages, where the initial process involves preparing the community to participate in the management of PLMs by having knowledgeable local people or experts supply information and education. The subsequent process concerns the creation of a form of sustainable community engagement, one in which the concept of PLM ownership emerges within the community, thus enabling a community-based management of the manuscripts which allows the making of merit.

The overall aim of the study was to investigate barriers to online professional information seeking, use and sharing occurring within the NHS in England, their possible effects (upon education, working practices, working lives and clinical and organisational effectiveness), and possible explanatory or causative factors. The investigation adopted a qualitative case study approach, using semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis as its methods, with three NHS Trusts of different types (acute - district general hospital, mental health / community, acute – teaching) as the nested sites of data collection. It aimed to be both exploratory and explanatory. A stratified sample of participants, including representatives of professions whose perspectives were deemed to be relevant, and clinicians with educational or staff development responsibilities, was recruited for each Trust. Three non-Trust specialists (the product manager of a secure web gateway vendor, an academic e-learning specialist, and the senior manager at NICE responsible for the NHS Evidence electronic content and web platform) were also interviewed. Policy documents, statistics, strategies, reports and quality accounts for the Trusts were obtained via public websites, from participants or via Freedom of Information requests. Thematic analysis following the approach of Braun and Clarke (2006) was adopted as the analytic method for both interviews and documents. The key themes of the results that emerged are presented: barriers to accessing and using information, education and training, professional cultures and norms, information governance and security, and communications policy. The findings are discussed under three main headings: power, culture, trust and risk in information security; use and regulation of Web 2.0 and social media, and the system of professions. It became evident that the roots of problems with access to and use of such information lay deep within the culture and organisational characteristics of the NHS and its use of IT. A possible model is presented to explain the interaction of the various technical and organisational factors that were identified as relevant. A number of policy recommendations are put forward to improve access to published information at Trust level, as well as recommendations for further research.

This thesis aims to explore information sharing in two ESOL classes. ESOL learners are migrants learning English as part of adult basic education. Information sharing is explored through a practice theory lens using the framework of information grounds theory. The research investigates the characteristics of the two classes as information grounds, how people, objects and places mediate information sharing in these classes, how information sharing is interleaved with other practices and how critical theories of place and embodiment can inform our understanding of information practice. The research was a constructivist case study of two community ESOL classes in an English city. Observation was the primary data collection method but a range of other methods were used to build an understanding of the case. The characteristics of the two classes as information grounds were explored, giving a rich picture of the overlapping contexts of migration and ESOL and the particular contexts of the two classes. A structured contextual narrative of information sharing episodes was used as the basis for analysis. Information sharing was identified as a core information practice for the two classes, and its links with information literacy were explored. The concepts of informative people, places and objects were developed to explore how information sharing was mediated in these two cases. Key characteristics of accessibility, mediation, pleasure and the non-cognitive were identified as central to the informative person, place and object. Further findings related to the need to take a critical approach to embodied information practice. The research adds to our knowledge in a number of areas. It provides more context to LIS migration research; offers insight into information sharing more generally, and involves a novel application of information grounds theory. It also contributes to ESOL by demonstrating the value of ESOL classrooms as information grounds and suggesting what kinds of arrangements may be productive of information sharing.