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The interrelated use of geological information and other types of geoinformation in local governments

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Abstract

There is a growing interest in the use of geoinformation in government decision‐making. Studies on the usability of geological information, which is one type of geoinformation, have however been scarce in the literature. A system built for an efficient organization may, therefore, not be catering to the needs of the individual user and understanding the perceived barriers to using geological information should be an important goal of geodata implementation. The objectives of this article are to: (1) investigate whether the analyses of user patterns are improved by considering an interrelated estimation with two types of geoinformation, and (2) explore whether there are gender differences in how peer advice affects the use of geoinformation. The data were collected in 2014 through a web survey, and the sample consisted of 390 women and 287 men working in Swedish municipalities. The results indicates a more accurate prediction pattern when a secondary geoinformation decision was included, thus suggesting that different types of geoinformation should be jointly analyzed. The officials tend to use both types of geoinformation, alluding to a demand for combined geoinformation products among the target population. Finally, there is evidence of women's decision to use geoinformation being affected by peer advice.