Users perception of social Q&A sites: an empirical study of information seeking and sharing behaviour in SCIS environments

Purpose With the arithmetical growth and success of social Q&A (SQA) sites, these have become important platforms for people to seek information that applies to their daily lives. SQA sites, referred to as the wisdom of the crowd, are significant contenders to the reference services offered by libraries. Thus, researchers from industry and academia have also been attracted to explore this emerging platform that can help users harness the benefits of collaborative and social ties at a time. To advance the present knowledge about the perceptions of users about SQA sites, the current study attempted to provide exhaustive insight into these sites by evaluating the motivations and expectations of seekers and respondents. Design/methodology/approach To achieve this goal, an online survey was designed to get first-hand information about users with the help of Google Forms and posted on different social platforms. Convenience sampling was used for recruiting the participants. A total of 702 completed and usable questionnaires were obtained. The data collected was imported to Excel, and then SPSS was used for conducting quantitative and inferential analysis. Findings Results show that SQA users primarily consider it as a platform for providing learning opportunities through the real-life experiences of others. SQA users reflected personalised answers and the opportunity to ask in their own natural language as the biggest asset of these spaces. Respondents’ main driving factors for contribution are a sense of accomplishment and altruism. Findings also revealed that enhancement of self-esteem is the main social capital achieved through answering, besides acquiring validation and admiration. Originality/value The study proposed theoretical implications by adding valuable literature to the existing body of knowledge. It has offered several recommendations and practical solutions for the successful adoption of emerging technology and social Q&A sites so that these can emerge as significant information resources. The study also offers managerial implications to develop productive policies for the successful and sustainable working of these platforms.