Overall, this presents a very good guide to someone who wishes to embark on his/her own information provision business. While the target audience is information professionals, much of the information supplied is appropriate for anyone wishing to establish a business. In this regard, and in most instances, the advice is sound and thorough. Personal experience is very evident and draws the reader's attention to many of the potential pitfalls of establishing and running one's own business.
The format and layout are pleasing, and the index is well compiled. The sequence of topics is logical – except for the location of strategic planning, which should appear much sooner. However, there are a number of areas that are either lacking, inappropriate, or which deserve comment.
At first glance the title appears to refer to someone who runs a full research business, not only secondary information. This is misleading. There are many individuals who run full research companies independently and on their own. Such services include both primary and secondary research and cover a range of services much wider than those presented in this book.
The strategic aspects of starting and running a business are inadequately addressed. Far greater attention needs to be accorded to the strategy – the objectives, planning, etc. It is not simply an annual check‐up type activity as is suggested by the text. To a large extent strategy drives the whole business, and not paying attention to this is, in the majority of cases, the reason why so many new businesses fail within the first five years. This is a serious matter, and if specialized knowledge of this area is lacking, it must be sought.
More attention could have been given to cash flow planning – one of the biggest reasons for companies folding. Similarly, more attention should have been given to the different types of objectives that should be set – how to set achievable, measurable objectives, how to coordinate achieving them, how to adapt them, and so on.
An introduction to the marketing section is lacking. This is required to set the scene of exactly what marketing comprises, for example, sales, advertising, public relations, direct marketing, Web marketing, and so on. In other words, the reader needs to know what the options are, the relative costs, and where the greatest mileage will accrue. Many of the practical examples are good and provide handy tips. However, the underlying expert knowledge and theory is lacking – for example, the selection of a logo.
Finally, much of the last section on researching is superfluous. Most of chapters 27‐34 belong in a separate publication. The assumption of this publication would be that anyone starting out in a business already has the necessary skills and experience. However, these chapters appear to be focused on these basic skills.
In conclusion, for a secondary information researcher wishing to establish his/her own business this is a handy, helpful volume. However, it needs to be read in conjunction with more expert publications on strategy and marketing, or supplemented by consultation of experts in these fields.
