Information needs, enterprise growth and e-commerce intermediation: A study of Southern-Brazilian companies

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 organisation's decision-making process. This is particularly the case when expanding the business. This paper presents the results of a study examining the information needs of 796 southern Brazilian enterprises contemplating business growth. The survey is part of a programme 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 a clear ''core'' of informational needs, supported by some ''peripheral'' needs. The paper concludes with a summary, reflections and some future research directions.