{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,2]],"date-time":"2026-04-02T16:55:09Z","timestamp":1775148909554,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":61,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,20]],"date-time":"2023-11-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1700438400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["AJIM"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,3,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>The study investigates the information-related challenges as well as the practices adopted by early-career researchers during transitions between roles and institutions. Its primary goal is to delve into how information behaviors serve as scaffolding during significant life shifts. Moreover, the research aims to provide actionable insights based on this scaffolding concept for individuals navigating transitions.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>This preliminary and exploratory study took a phenomenological approach to examine the role of information seeking and personal information management (PIM) behaviors during life transitions. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with 15 early-career researchers from various disciplines, who were about to finish their PhDs or had recently graduated.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>By employing information seeking and PIM practices, participants were able to address three main information challenges that arose during the transition process: the timing of information behavior, the nature of information and the social components of the transition. The use of networked and independent information seeking\/validation practices enabled to establish a sustainable network of transition-related information, reducing uncertainty. PIM practices helped planning the transition, maintaining information over the long-term and gaining control over personal information.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study underscores the significance of information behaviors, encompassing both information seeking and PIM, as scaffolding mechanisms during crucial life transitions. It offers essential insights that can guide the creation of impactful interventions and resources. Additionally, the research illuminates the pressing demand for more in-depth exploration in this domain.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/ajim-01-2023-0027","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,16]],"date-time":"2023-11-16T22:15:23Z","timestamp":1700172923000},"page":"354-372","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":18,"title":["Information seeking and personal information management behaviors as scaffolding during life\u00a0transitions: the case of early-career researchers"],"prefix":"10.1108","volume":"77","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2998-8414","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lilach","family":"Alon","sequence":"first","affiliation":[]}],"member":"140","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,11,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"key2025030318501052700_ref001","first-page":"1274","article-title":"Principles for the implementation of personal information management literacy program in higher education","year":"2019"},{"key":"key2025030318501052700_ref002","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2020.106292","article-title":"Gaps between actual and ideal personal information management behavior","volume":"107","year":"2020","journal-title":"Computers in Human Behavior"},{"key":"key2025030318501052700_ref003","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijhcs.2020.102503","article-title":"Anxious and frustrated but still competent: affective aspects of interactions with personal information management","volume":"144","year":"2020","journal-title":"International Journal of Human-Computer Studies"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2025030318501052700_ref004","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/09610006221079357","article-title":"The role of feelings in personal information management behavior: deleting and organizing information","volume":"55","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of Librarianship and Information Science"},{"key":"key2025030318501052700_ref064","first-page":"352","article-title":"Gaps in personal information management behavior of higher education students: implications for a training program","year":"2020","journal-title":"EdMedia+ Innovate Learning, Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)"},{"issue":"3","key":"key2025030318501052700_ref005","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1093\/iwc\/iwz021","article-title":"How knowledge workers manage their personal information spaces: perceptions, challenges and high-level strategies","volume":"31","year":"2019","journal-title":"Interacting with Computers"},{"issue":"6","key":"key2025030318501052700_ref006","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"929","DOI":"10.1108\/AJIM-07-2020-0208","article-title":"Towards a typology of personal information management behaviors: exploring and defining people's interactions with personal information","volume":"72","year":"2020","journal-title":"Aslib Journal of Information Management"},{"issue":"4","key":"key2025030318501052700_ref007","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1891\/0889-8391.10.4.313","article-title":"Self-efficacy in changing societies","volume":"10","year":"1996","journal-title":"Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy"},{"issue":"5","key":"key2025030318501052700_ref008","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"327","DOI":"10.1002\/(SICI)1097-4571(199506)46:5<327::AID-ASI4>3.0.CO;2-C","article-title":"Context as a factor in personal information management systems","volume":"46","year":"1995","journal-title":"Journal of the American Society for Information Science"},{"issue":"2","key":"key2025030318501052700_ref009","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"307","DOI":"10.1002\/asi.20752","article-title":"The persistence of behavior and form in the organization of personal information","volume":"59","year":"2008","journal-title":"Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology"},{"key":"key2025030318501052700_ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bates, M.J. 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