HIB in Working Environments

From Class: What are the needs and behaviors of managers, women in the workplace, analysts, and risk managers?
Managers

• Needs: operational info, tactical info, stratgegic info


• Prefer: verbal info, personal and internal sources, scanning their environment, and of course, want to expend the least effort possible in relation to their gain


• Many managers will atually end up using public libraries because they don't have a librarian in their own company-- these institutions should prepare for this


• They use the internet to find out info about other companies


• It is critical to remember that they often have to use self-protective behavior to keep their jobs, and this is why they don't want to reveal their needs to people outside of the company (and some within it)

Women working outside the home

• They need tools to break the glass cieling


• Also have non-work related nees that are important due to high proportion of women who also have family responsibilites outside of work


• They need aids for networking, including mentors


• Also need training in certain skills such as budgeting and management


• Blue collar workers have similar needs

analysts

• They research businesses to create good investment ideas


• They need quality information!


• Want to find out about what no one knows, and what everyone else knows that they don't


• Most valuable sources are informal


• Could benefit from a "virtual library of contacts"

Risk Managers

• They have to calculate variables in order to minimize the possibility of loss for their company


• They need: access to company data, Info from insurers, to use data mining to find these things

Synthesis
Money and employment are at stake for people involved in business-- their information needs can be sensitive and they might take protective measures to maintain employment. Interpersonal sources seem to be important to all of these people, and networking is key for their success. There must be some way for information professionals to assist with networking, or even keeping track of contacts for professionals using informal sources.