SubscribeTalk at Online Information 2008
by Jennifer SmithYesterday, I spoke at Online Information 2008 about Information Management and small businesses. Online is the largest gathering of the information profession in the UK so I was delighted to have the opportunity to speak
I talked about the new opportunity for information professionals to bring their skills to the small business sector. I wasn’t sure how much interest there would be as Online, and the information industry, has historically been dominated by large corporates. So I was relieved to see so many people in the audience, and reassured by how many of my colleagues from the information profession are interested in this sector.
SMEs contribute 51% of the UK turnover, and increasingly are involved in information and knowledge intensive work. Although the information profession has historically had little involvement in the small business sector, I think it’s time that changed, and I think it’s imperative for the economy that we help small businesses.
The information industry has been slow to recognise the opportunities for working with smaller companies. We seem to get so caught up with deploying complicated systems in large organisations that we forgot that smaller organisations also need our skills.
But the world has changed dramatically in the last few years, and it’s now time to look more closely at the information management needs of the small business sector.
For a start, small companies have a much greater impact now they’re empowered by the internet. Lower costs of manufacturing, distribution and marketing mean that even the smallest of companies can make a big impact; look at Twitter or Craigslist for examples of very small companies touching the lives of millions of people.
The companies who can make the most from these new economics are those who deal solely in knowledge. As an example, there’s Mignon Fogarty, aka Grammar Girl, who’s built a thriving business from a podcast about grammar! And as these companies are dealing purely in information, information professionals can make a huge difference by helping them organise and use their valuable assets.
In the past, there have been barriers to working with smaller companies. So what’s changed to allow us to work with them now?
Primarily it’s technology, especially products like OneIS which deliver powerful solutions as Software as a Service. These easy to use Information Management systems are now available online, so you don’t need servers, IT staff or deal with the hassles of maintenance. Plus they’re offered at prices a small company can easily afford.
In the past, there wasn’t much that an Information Professional could do to help a small business who was just using a shared drive for storing their information. But now that small businesses can afford more sophisticated Information Management systems, this opens up a huge new market for Information Professionals, and enables us to make these new innovative companies even more efficient and effective.