Duct tape and WD-40: The information worlds of female investors

Using an everyday life information-seeking (ELIS) perspective, this ethnographic study describes the information-seeking behaviors of women's investment club members. It identifies three general motivations for interest in investing and club membership, and ties those motivations to distinct variations in information behavior. Study findings identify gaps between information needs and use, and highlight potential areas for improving the abilities of female investors to locate, evaluate, and use information for investment decision-making.

Research highlights
► Female investment club members engaged in investing as hobbyists, managers or mentors.
► Investor type influenced information behaviors.
► Club members preferred experiential, personal and unmediated sources.
► Club members adopted technology more often than female investors previously studied.