Challenges and Opportunities for Information Brokers in Brazil: A Study of Informational Needs of Southern-Brazilian Enterprises When Expanding Their Businesses

Abstract

Information is no longer just a control tool for managers — it is a basic resource as important as raw materials or the human resource. Consequently, it is a significant managerial responsibility to decide which kind of information should support the organization’s decision-making process. This is particularly the case when expanding the business. This chapter presents the results of a study examining the information needs of 796 Southern-Brazilian enterprises contemplating business growth. The survey is part of a program of research into information intermediation via the Internet. The results show a marked convergence of the sample’s informational needs, but also some significant differences among specific business groups. In addition, the research has surfaced some clear “core” of informational needs, supported by some “peripheral” needs. The chapter concludes with a summary, reflections and some future research directions.