The right information is vital to the success of every organisation and increasingly managers are recognising its valuable role in their decision‐making processes. The aim of this book is “to consider what businesses need to know about their external environment in order best to position themselves in it, and to help in finding and using the information which can provide the answers”. Lowe has pulled together a book which is both theoretical but, at the same time, also practical.
Following an introductory chapter which considers the role of information in decision making, separate chapters deal with information sources on companies, markets, financial markets, products, countries, news and industry sources. Each of these chapters has three aims: “to consider the business person’s problems and information needs in relation to the subject; to examine the primary information which exists; and to characterise and evaluate the available sources”. Significant sources, including printed directories, online databases,CD‐ROMs and Internet sites, are named and illustrated where appropriate. However, Lowe does acknowledge that in such a fast‐moving area many details given are liable to change quickly. The sources listed in each chapter are not meant to be exhaustive. To help counteract this, guides to other sources are given at the end of each chapter and also in the section entitled “Bibliography of business information bibliographies”.
The final chapter briefly considers information overload, knowledge management, intranets, intelligent agents, data mining and push technology ‐ just some of the many technological developments impinging on this area. A subject index completes the volume. However, it would enhance the usefulness of the book if an index to specific sources had been included.
This is a book to be dipped into to find specific guidance on sources. With so many sources being included in each chapter, following the author’s threads is at times quite heavy going. Lowe hopes this book will be read and used by business decision makers. However, it is more likely to appeal to the student of information science and other professionals who occasionally foray into the area of business information. It will serve too as a useful aide for the more experienced in this area.
