Prospects and challenges of disseminating information to the public: the case of publishers of kiswahili and the African review journals

Mapunda, Timothy Timothy

Prospects and challenges of disseminating information to the public: the case of publishers of kiswahili and the African review journals

Date

2013

Authors

Mapunda, Timothy Timothy

Publisher

University of Dar es Salaam

Abstract

This study was about prospects and challenges facing publishers in disseminating information to the public. The study was guided by the following objectives: “The Extent Publishing Personnel Collect and Authenticate Articles for the Journals”, “Challenges facing Journal dissemination processes, particularly in publishing and printing”, and “Methods used by publishers to distribute or circulate scholarly journals to the public.” The study applied IranDoc Model, Shannon and Weaver model and Coser Model. The models helped to trace the processes of information dissemination and indicated areas probable for challenges to arise. Besides, they indicated who does what in that process to make it easy to grasp the complex processes of information dissemination. They also showed inter-relatedness of information dissemination and how strong networks are needed in information dissemination. In consideration to the objectives of the study, first, it was discovered that publishing personnel use inefficient methods to collect as well as authenticate papers for the journals. As far as people’s opinions in relation to challenges facing the journal publishing industry in relation to its dissemination is concerned people held that universities and their institutions should inject more fund, training and improve journal management and distribution. The distribution as well as circulation method advocated most by respondents was online distribution. So, it was discovered that information dissemination process as the system requires consideration of multiple factors and actors, which as the study reveals, were ill-treated. Key players were authors, editorial body members, peer reviewers, editors, readers and distribution personnel. Factors ill-treated were fund, management, training and distribution. Respondents blamed the universities and their departments/institutions for failing to improve information dissemination. The study generally implies that better prospects will be determined by proper treatment of players as a whole in processes of information dissemination

Description

Available in print form

Keywords

Dissemination of Information, Selective dissemination of information, Journal publishers, Publishers of Kiswahili, African review journals

Citation

Mapunda, T. T. (2013) Prospects and challenges of disseminating information to the public: the case of publishers of kiswahili and the African review journals, Masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx)