SLIS 748
Spring, 2007
Business
Information Sources and Services
Coverage
of the bibliographic and information systems relevant to contemporary
managerial information needs, with emphasis on the literature of
business and finance, and including statistical materials, literature
guides, investment guides and investment services. Specialized
problems related to the organization and operation of business
information systems. Practice in question
consultation and database searching will be included.
Robert V. Williams
University of South Carolina
School of Library and Information Science
Office phone: 803-777-2324
(includes voice mail)
School Office : 803-777-3858
E-mail: bobwill@sc.edu
Fax:
803-777-7938
Office
Hours:
ID: library (lowercase)
PW: SLIS#2007 (uppercase - no space)
Course
Outline
Introduction
to the course and course requirements
Unit I:
Introduction to Business Information Services
1. Brief Historical Overview of Library and Information Services
for Business
2. The Business Information Needs of Business People
3. Key Characteristics of Business Information Services
4. The Business Research Process
5. Recent Trends in Business Information Services
Unit II:
Introduction to Business Information Resources
(Powerpoint Slides for Unit II)
1. Overview of types of business information resources
2. Basic business reference sources
3. Directories
4. Periodicals and newspapers
5. Looseleaf services
6. Government information sources (briefly)
7. Statistical sources (briefly)
8. Electronic information sources (briefly)
9. Rules on where to start searching for business information
10. Business research on the Web: some guidelines
Unit III:
Economics, Investments, and Financial Markets
(Powerpoint Slides for Unit 3B)
1.
The Dismal Science: A brief review of Economics
2. Money, credit and banking
3. Investments (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, futures, options)
4. Basic information sources on money, banking and investments
Unit IV:
Company Information Sources
(Powerpoint Slides for Unit 4B)
(Powerpoint Slides for Unit 4C)
1. Company formation
2. Company growth and development
3. Market analysis: marketing research, advertising, and sales
4. Accounting, finance, taxation, and regulations
5. Human resources
management,
6. Small business formation and development in the US
7. International/foreign companies: similarities and differences
8. Basic company information sources
Unit V:
Industry Information Sources
1. Structure of industries
2. Industrial trends
3. US federal government assistance/regulation of industry
(including imports and
exports)
4. Industry associations
5. International industrial information sources
6. Role of IGOs in international industry information sources
7. Basic industry information sources
Unit VI:
Building Business Information Resources
1. Purposes of objectives in collection development
2. Steps in collection development
3. Money: what will it cost?
4. Doing the work: processing and arrangement
5. Electronic access choices
6. Reporting to management
Unit VII:
Managing Business Information Services
1. Managing business information services
2. Designing and developing new business information services
3. Business information services: a summary
Course
Objectives
At the
conclusion of the course the student should be able to:
l.
Describe and discuss traditional and non-traditional business
information services.
2. Define,
describe and name examples of business information sources
(e.g.,literature guides, directories, handbooks, the Web, etc.) used by
business information users.
3.
Understand the investment decision-making process and demonstrate that
understanding through the preparation of a small stock, bond,
etc. investment portfolio.
4. Perform
effective and efficient information and reference searches in a variety
of business information sources (print, online, and Web-based systems).
5. Develop
an appropriate collection development plan for at least one type of
business information system (e.g., public library, academic library,
small company library, etc.).
6.
Demonstrate the techniques of over-viewing (or providing a resource
package such as a "pathfinder" on a web page) on a specific sub-field
of business information.
7.
Understand and discuss the use of information by a variety of business
information user groups (management, general public,
specific occupational or professional groups, etc.).
8.
Understand and be able to discuss the implications of current trends in
technology (particularly the Internet) and information management on
business information systems and services.
9. Prepare
digested and summarized information reports on a requested/assigned
business topic.
10.
Prepare and deliver an oral report on a business information related
topic of choice.
Course
Requirements
(l)
Investment portfolio
15% Due: Feb. 26
(2)
Company information report
15 Due: March 19
(3)
Industry information report
15
Due: April 2
(4) Choose
one of the following:
10
Due: April 16
--database evaluation
--collection development plan
–evaluating Web sites
(5)
Selected reference questions
10
Due: March 26
(6) Web
guide (2 at 10% each)
20
Due: first one: Jan. 29; second one: April 9
(7) Oral
report on a business information topic
15
Due: April 21 at final on-site
Details on
all of the above requirements will be given well in advance of the due
dates.
as well as the Blackboard site for this course.
Textbook
and other readings
Rita W.
Moss, Strauss’s Handbook of Business Information: A Guide for
Librarians, Students, and Researchers. Westport, CT: Libraries
Unlimited, 2004.
You will
be required to read (prior to the daily class meeting) at least
the morning edition of the Wall Street Journal and the
Sunday/weekend business section of your local newspaper (e.g.,The
State, has both a Sunday business section and a separate Monday
edition called "Money”; the Charlotte Observer also
has Sunday and Monday business sections.)
Other
assigned and required readings will be made throughout the course (see
the specific unit readings).
Attendance Policy
University
and College policy state that if a student misses more than 25% of the
scheduled classes, without permission of the instructor, a grade of F
is recorded for the course. For Distance Education
courses, attendance at all class on-site meetings is required.
The
University allows the final grades of A, B+, B, C+, C, D and F to be
reported for graduate work. I use the following grades (which allow for
finer distinctions in grading) of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D and F,
which will then be weighted and averaged for the appropriate final
grade.
Papers
turned in late, without advance approval of the instructor, will
receive a lower letter grade for each day they are late.
You should
maintain a copy of all graded and returned papers in case questions
arise at a later time.