In her latest book Economic Information (Wirtschaftsinformation), Eleonore Poetzsch teaches basic knowledge for information professionals. The author succeeds in identifying the most important information suppliers. Eleonore Poetzsch explains with the excellence of an experienced searcher the relevant host offers, CD‐ROM suppliers and www‐providers – with valuable and remarkable insider tips. The book is a “must” for every information or documentation department. It is a basic reference tool for all information professionals, documentalists and librarians. It is suited for all different kinds of users:
beginners who have basic I&D skills starting in the information retrieval business;
beginners without any I&D skills who want to quickly become experts in this area;
professionals with several years of experience who want to be sure to be still up‐to‐date and aware of all new possibilities and developments;
information suppliers for own competitive intelligence analyses; and last but not least;
for all those who teach and train people in this field.
Basic knowledge in information retrieval is a prerequisite. Those not familiar with this area can refer to Information Retrieval, a supplementary book by the same author published in January 2001.
As the contents need constant up‐dating, one can only hope that the author and her publisher will regularly work on new editions. This is the reason why an electronic subscription or a subscription to a WWW‐offer should be discussed. Probably an electronic WWW‐linklist could also be an attractive additional tool for many information professionals in the economic area.
A special value‐add of the book is that the different distribution channels of economic information, e.g. hosts, CD‐ROMs and the Web, are considered. This is why this book provides a basic reference tool, even though the author claims no completeness.
Chapter 1 “Basic knowledge of economic information” describes the basics. The book begins with an overall positioning of online economic databases in order to stress the importance of economic information vis‐à‐vis scientific‐technical information. It is a minuspoint that the facts this chapter are based on are not at all up to date (1995). In a new edition this should be changed and up‐dated with new market information.
As far as the economic information sources are concerned (Chapter 1: “Basics of economic information”) the reader gets an understanding of how large this area really is. It is all the more remarkable that Eleonore Poetzsch perfectly succeeded in giving an excellent overview of all the different sources. A selected list of major reference books with general information on several economic areas (like, e.g. Hoppenstedt: Associations and Organizations) is missing in this launch and should be added to a new edition. An additional value would be to refer always to the information supplier. This is particularly true for the CD‐ROM chapter which is already very good.
Chapter 2: “Methodologies of information retrieval in economic online databases” gives a detailed insight into different search and retrieval techniques particularly with the help of The Dialog Corporation. Furthermore, DataStar as well as Profound and Tradstat are elaborated upon in more detail. The reader finds a lot of practical exercises. As far as a new edition is concerned, the author should also provide the keys to these exercises in the form of a best practice collection – if ever appropriate and possible. It would be good if the author could indicate at least some prices – if ever possible and available.
This is also valid for Chapter 3: “CD‐ROM databases with special regard to economic information”. The author offers a perfect selection (particularly in Chapter 3.3) of German as well as European and international databases. References to information suppliers or to WWW‐links would be of additional value for the information professional in search of information as well as prices (Chapter 3.2).
Chapter 4 of the book gives an introduction to “Economic information in the World Wide Web (WWW)”. By adding this chapter, the author guarantees that the reader really gets a very complete and condensed overview of all possible economic information offers, particularly as the WWW becomes more and more important. In this context, LexisNexis, GENIOS and GBI (German Business Information) as well as offers of the so‐called “Fachinformationszentren” (specialised German information centres for different subject areas), news agencies, relevant publishing houses, organizations and institutions and their services are presented in some more detail.
In summary: a book that must be purchased by all information professionals in search of economic information.
