Orally‐based information

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore a new research area: orally‐based information. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilizes a social constructionist approach. The social constructionist meta‐theory, which holds that contributions to knowledge can be made orally, frames it. Findings – The paper explicates how orality, or word‐of‐mouth transactions, conveys information; describes approaches for investigating orally‐based information; and articulates the need for future information behavior investigations that focus on orality. Research limitations/implications – The research exploration focuses on face‐to‐face oral data. It calls for increased attention to orally‐based information, and offers tentative suggestions for accomplishing this goal. Practical implications – The results provide insight that assist in understanding how orally‐based information intersects with information behavior, knowledge management, information policy, cultural heritage, and professional development that involves orality. Originality/value – The paper builds a theoretical foundation for increased understanding of the meaning and functions of orally‐based information.