The purpose of this thesis was to examine how two different groups use information strategies in their Facebook group activities. A qualitative study was made using interviews and a qualitative observation method. The observation groups consisted of two selected groups on Facebook and I interviewed three chosen participants of each group; a Gatekeeper, a Gateopener and a Lurker. Through the information strategies I examined the selected groups’ information environments. To reach my goal, the following questions were studied: which information strategies, within social media, do the groups use to achieve their goals and what are the characteristics of an information environment that has been created by a heterogeneous group, in comparison to a homogeneous group in their networking groups. The theoretical framework that was used to analyze the results of the study consisted of a model that was built of theories, literature and previous research regarding information strategies within heterogeneous and homogeneous groups, Facebook, open- and closed information environments, and Gatekeepers. The results of this study show that it is complex to ascertain whether a group is 100% homogeneous or heterogeneous, and whether a group is 100% closed or open and that there will always be factors and dimensions that cannot be defined as open or closed or homogeneous and heterogeneous. The results also show that a closed group with seemingly closed memberships is much more informal than an open group. / Program: Bibliotekarie
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:hb-17043 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Ganic, Mekto |
| Publisher | Högskolan i Borås, Institutionen Biblioteks- och informationsvetenskap / Bibliotekshögskolan, University of Borås/Swedish School of Library and Information Science (SSLIS) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
| Relation | Masteruppsats, ; 2012:10 |
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