{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,14]],"date-time":"2026-07-14T23:59:55Z","timestamp":1784073595004,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Emerald","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,1]],"date-time":"2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1743465600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/www.emerald.com\/insight\/site-policies"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JD"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,28]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Purpose<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study aims to investigate the behaviors and barriers of information poverty (IP) among heterogeneous rural groups in Guizhou Province, Southwest China, using Dervin\u2019s sense-making theory (SMT) and Chatman\u2019s theory of IP.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Design\/methodology\/approach<\/jats:title><jats:p>Employing a mixed-methods approach, we conduct K-medoids clustering to analyze 3,864 respondents and perform an inductive analysis of 132 participants (2018\u20132021). The study identifies distinct rural groups: the \u201ctraditional group\u201d (TG), \u201cmainstream group\u201d (MG), \u201cbackbone group\u201d (BG) and \u201cnew generation group\u201d (NG), along with the pre-existing \u201cvillage cadre group.\u201d<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Findings<\/jats:title><jats:p>Diverse behaviors and IP barriers are observed across rural groups. TG and MG exhibit self-behaviors such as avoidance, reluctance, and easy-contentment. Conversely, NG and BG utilize multiple sources and demonstrate persistence, particularly in seeking rural policy information. All groups exhibit behaviors such as foregoing insurance and seeking information outside rural settings, notably concerning education. Interactive behaviors vary significantly \u2013 from providing information facilities to supporting decision-making \u2013 with varying acceptance levels. Moreover, village cadres, when providing information services, often inadvertently perpetuate the IP barriers that affect these rural groups.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title content-type=\"abstract-subheading\">Originality\/value<\/jats:title><jats:p>This study introduces a new analytical framework by integrating SMT with IP. It validates and expands existing IP theories by demonstrating that different rural groups exhibit unique but overlapping small-world behaviors. The study proposes behavioral phenomena including \u201clower expectations of compromise and belief in connection,\u201d \u201cvarying levels of interactive behavior\u201d and \u201cmeasurable assessments of rural information services.\u201d<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1108\/jd-07-2024-0172","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,4]],"date-time":"2025-04-04T03:50:43Z","timestamp":1743738643000},"page":"723-746","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Information poverty in Southwest China: self and interactive behaviors among heterogeneous rural 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