Characterizing the information needs and behaviour of Egyptian street vendors

Abstract

This study intends to investigate the information needs and behaviour of Egyptian street vendors in terms of their perspectives, motives, attitudes, habits, and impediments. In five focus groups, the participants (n  =  54) were interviewed. The researcher employed grounded theory in this qualitative investigation. The majority of respondents were male, uneducated to possessing informal education, in their twenties and thirties, and married. A significant proportion of respondents favoured direct engagement, face-to-face meetings, or mobile and social media to share oral sources with others. Respondents sought the knowledge mostly to aid them with executing work-related duties. Numerous respondents favoured spoken or informal sources over written ones. Personal experience was one of the most important sources upon which respondents relied. Illiteracy, psychological pressure, a negative social image, a lack of awareness, a lack of skills, and a lack of time are among the major obstacles respondents face.