The value of content

Abstract

Summarizes the main points of the articles included in this issue of Business Information Review. Gerry McGovern and Rob Norton discuss the value of content in the context of the information needed to help them make decisions and their reliance on their professional or social network. They conclude that, while acknowledging that experience, instinct and good networking will always be central to any decision process, on their own they are no longer enough. Dave Crick’s report on the information gathering activities of successful internationalizing UK firms reports on the highly perceived usefulness of networks of social contacts, suggesting that informal sources are highly valued, particularly via the Internet. An update on service developments at Companies House is presented by Paul Reynolds and David Garnett, which concludes that deregulatory pressures mean that the minimum now required of all but the largest companies may give the searcher only a limited picture of a particular company. Simon Ryley suggests reasons why companies are not being over-enthusiastic about the benefits of corporate portals. Karen Beesley presents a helpful explanation of XML (Extensible Markup Language), concluding that its adoption will necessitate commitment to a more detailed understanding of business processes and to the introduction of a degree of structure to both documents and processes. David Mort concludes that information professionals are more effective at searching and finding information than end-users although a significant percentage of searches by information specialists were still ranked as unsuccessful and their success rate was only slightly higher.