Business Information Review

In a world where organizations are increasingly adopting Enterprise 2.0 technology what, if any, will be the role of the information intermediary? Where can information intermediaries add value in their organizations and how can they ride and harness the wave of new technologies that spring up on a seemingly daily basis? Is this a period of boom or bust?

Information professionals have fundamental skills that — if harnessed optimally — have the potential to be of significant value to professional accountants working in business. The accounting profession is grappling with issues emerging from a changing external environment. The roles, responsibilities and priorities of those with a finance function — especially those in business — are evolving, bringing about shifts in information needs. The opportunity for information professionals is to assert and demonstrate the relevance and value of their skill set to the emerging, more strategic finance function. This article provides an overview of the developments impacting accountants in business to highlight potential opportunities for information professionals.

The perspective taken in this article reflects two particular angles: it adopts an international focus rather than a UK focus — especially with regard to regulatory issues influencing the inclusion of information assets in financial reports; and it recognizes that there are reasons other than meeting statutory/ regulatory requirements which support the recognition (if not always the valuation) of information assets in the management of organizations — commercial and otherwise. The article proceeds by considering the recognition and approaches to the valuation of intangible assets in general, following which it homes in on information assets as a particular category of intangible assets, and concludes with a discussion of the attributes of information that give rise to its value as an asset.

Guanxi referrals help identify potential business partners. Through guanxi networks, businesses can establish favourable and mutually beneficial relationships vital to business success. Guanxi carries assumed knowledge of trust and facilitates business references. It is the construct of `face' that underpins this trust. The high degree of trust in guanxi networks facilitates the flow of strategic information and knowledge, further adding value to business. This article illustrates through case studies how guanxi relationships are formed and how knowledge in guanxi networks can benefit business. The case studies are drawn from experiences of three Europe-based Chinese business directors.

Effective use of personal time management skills and techniques can ensure a successful balance between work and personal life. This article suggests ways of analysing how time is spent, and offers advice on making plans for the future in a business and personal environment.

News from the National: The British Library Business and IP (Intellectual Property) Centre at the British Library will be contributing opinion pieces about their insights into business information on a regular basis. This item looks at the benefits of merging teams of business and intellectual property specialists to provide better services to customers.