Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
some information gathered and offered by On-A and On-T contributors may be
ambiguous or incorrect. Then, Off-T contributors help to validate this information
by using offline information. When a certain amount of credible information is
gathered, Off-A contributors may begin to investigate or protest near the HFS
target. On-A contributors sometimes request that Off-A contributors participate in
these actions. Through all of these processes, On-A contributors search and offer
online information and organize the information gathered, organize online protests,
and provide direction for Off-A contributors. On-A contributors also tend to act as
leaders in the HFS process.
14.7 Motivation of HFS Contributors
Pan (
2010
) argued that participation in HFS was motivated by two factors: acquisi-
tion of virtual currency and contribution to justice. Wang et al. (
2010
), however,
found that fewer than 5 % of all HFS began with some kind of monetary reward. In
the case of ALOHA, no contributors acquired real or virtual currency by means of
the HFS. Because this particular HFS began with an accusation of illegal activity, it
can be considered that one of the main motivations was a contribution to justice.
Also, conformity to mood, which is created by galleryites and other contributors,
played an important role. Additionally, benefits to information-handling skills
probably had an impact on information-offering by On-A and On-T contributors
as well as database-oriented bloggers. In contrast, Off-A and Off-T contributors
might have been motivated to offer information by the awareness that the informa-
tion was desired by someone. It is also expected that Off-T contributors only
offered offline information if searching and offering information did not have a
high cost.
Offline information offered by Off-T contributors is required to identify and
validate ambiguous information gathered by On-A and On-T contributors. Thus,
encouraging Off-T contributors to offer information can lead to success in the HFS
process.
Of the research done in the field of motivation, expectancy theory provides a
good explanation for the degree of motivation as the product of three elements
(Fig.
14.6
). The first element is expectancy, which is the belief that one's efforts
will result in the attainment of desired performance goals. In an analysis of
information-offering by HFS contributors, the performance goal is the act of
information-offering and the effort means the cost of information behaviors
required to offer specific information.
The second element is instrumentality, which is the belief that a person will
receive a reward if the performance expectation is met. Many HFS contributors
acquire only gratitude from others because very few HFS bring monetary rewards
to participants. If HFS contributors are aware that information is desired by
someone, they may expect gratitude from others for offering that information.
Improving information-handling skills through HFS can also serve as a reward.
