A study on complex information needs in business activities

Abstract

The primary interest of the research presented in this paper lies in the area of complex information needs. A study of awareness of complex information needs and their features has been undertaken to gain insight into the user side of user-IT relation in meeting complex information needs in business. The research has used a survey of Lithuanian business middle-to-senior managers to elicit their responses on the issues of features of complex information needs and environment monitoring. The respondents confirmed the heterogeneous nature of complex information needs and pointed out the most important groups of information monitored on a permanent basis, the top three being competition and market information, accounting and financial information, and customer information. The analysis of monitored information in the terms of information monitored together has disclosed some patterns that might be useful in providing an integrated view of activity environment and assisting in possible emergence of complex information needs.