The value of measurement in decision‐making in an Information Unit—a cost benefit analysis

I have been involved in information work now for some 16 years and during this time the question that I have found the most difficult to answer for other people and in my own mind, is ‘what is the economic justification of an Information Service’? I do not think I am alone in this. Many people in our profession are trying to find ways of performing cost benefit analysis of information work but so far with little success. However, information budgets are growing all the time and in the pharmaceutical industry information budgets of over £1m per annum are known.