The commercialisation of public sector information within UK government departments

Reports that there are increasing trends towards the commercialisation of public sector information. Explains the concepts of information trading and discusses the role of the public sector. Describes three case studies within the UK government. Identifies the lack of a uniform approach to information trading within UK government departments in terms of attitudes to information provision, information costing and pricing and the resourcing of an information trading function. Discusses issues concerning the national and departmental policy on information distribution and trading; the resourcing and management of information technology to support the information trading function; the development of an information‐aware culture within the government and its departments and the development of contractual relationships with marketing agents within the private sector. Examines the effect of online information provision on information trading. Discusses the application of agency theory to the study of the role of marketing agents and identifies their importance in the development of a public sector information trading market. Concludes that there is a lack of clear direction for government departments concerning information trading.