Online information services to support decision‐making in R&D industry and businesses: the experience of LNETI/CITI

Since 1983. CITI (Centro de Informação Técnica para a Indústria/Centre for Technical Information for Industry) at LNETI (Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia e Tecnologia Industrial) has been providing online information searching to researchers, academia, industry and business in Portugal, to support R&D activities, innovation and transfer of technology and to contribute to the competitiveness of Portuguese industry in world markets. This paper presents an analysis of the use of this service from 1986 to 1990 and highlights the most often searched databases, as well as the subjects most searched, by type of user. Information is also presented on the online costs and trends in costs over the period. Despite the increased use of this service throughout the period analysed, there is considerable scope for improvement in the way it is marketed as an effective and efficient way to retrieve relevant information and, consequently, in how it can enhance the productivity of scientists, engineers and business personnel.