开发国际信息数据库：1990 年的 Ruth Stanat

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With the unification of Europe and the rapidly changing political and economic events worldwide, research executives are currently faced with the need for translated, synthesized, and analyzed information from the various countries within the European Economic Commission (EEC) and from other parts of the world. Under the new economic system of the EEC, several companies will plan to expand the marketing of their products and services. Consequently, they will need the collection of published information as well as the need to collect quantitative data. During the 90s, senior management will seek answers to specific questions, such as “Is the Eastern European consumer ready for X,Y, or Z product?” rather than reading large market research reports which do not specifically answer their questions.

Within Europe, there are several obstacles to the collection of published information (e.g. from newspapers, the media, and journals). Following a detailed discussion of these obstacles, this paper discusses a methodology for the scanning, synthesis, translation, and analysis of published information. Within this methodology, the paper is organized into eight parts as follows.

1. 在欧洲经济共同体和全球范围内收集已发布信息的障碍
2. 解决方案：需要对已发布的信息建立持续的跟踪系统
3. 如何定义您的发布信息需求
4. 国际商业情报来源
5. 数据库设计
6. Internal staffing versus outsourcing
7. 确定系统的成本/效益
8. 这些系统对欧洲统一的战略重要性

This paper concludes with a discussion of how international and European research managers will experience an increasing need for market trends, competitive intelligence, and new product activity information as new trade agreements evolve within and outside of the European continent. The paper also includes a discussion of research needs for Eastern Europe. In summary, the paper focuses on the development of new cost-efficient systems to process this information, rather than utilizing older labor-intensive methods.

本文向读者提供了“如何”开发这些系统以及成本和人员配备的具体信息。

1. 在欧洲经济共同体和全球范围内收集公开信息的障碍

During the past year, we have seen a dramatic change in worldwide political and economic events. With the eruption of the Gulf crisis, the demise of communism, and the subsequent liberation of several Eastern Bloc countries; the demand for access to credible worldwide business and political information has increased. European research professionals are now asking themselves: “How can I provide management with accurate and timely answers to their international information requests?”

Each country within and outside of the EEC has a wealth of information, or business intelligence, which is reported in its daily newspapers, general business journals, and various industry and market publications. The challenge is to capture this information on a timely basis, translate the information, and synthesize and digest the information, which can be used for market intelligence or research briefs, newsletters, or reports.

1.1.语言障碍：

首先，无论身处哪个国家，研究专业人员都会面临世界各地的语言障碍。虽然英语正在成为整个西欧公认的商业语言，但研究专业人员面临着从以下全球地理区域获取信息的挑战：

• 美国和加拿大
• 西欧（包括斯堪的纳维亚国家）
• 东欧洲
• 苏联
• 墨西哥、拉丁美洲、南美洲
• 中东
• 远东
• 澳大利亚

Even within these geographical regions, the diversity of languages can be complex, such as in Western Europe. This challenges the research professional to either increase his or her knowledge and fluency in other foreign languages or to locate information providers and/or commercial database vendors who offer translated information. This paper will focus on a methodology from which the research professional can develop their own system to track international published sources. Lack of Commercial Databases that offer Business and Technical Information by Country or Geographical Region:

1.1.1. 美国和加拿大：

美国拥有一个成熟的商业和技术商业数据库市场。日本和西欧都在迅速追随我们的步伐，在过去三到五年内开发了商业数据库产品。幸运的是，对于美国和其他英语用户来说，许多数据库都已翻译成英文，可使用英语命令访问。

In Western Europe, some databases do exist in specific languages (e.g. German). As the software technology improves, we will expect that these databases will be able to be translated into the local language of the users. Various publishers of international directories are searching to locate the available local commercial databases available for access, and it is anticipated that more of these global database directories will be published as the world moves toward a global economy.

1.1.2西欧：

Similar to the USA, Great Britain has a sophisticated market for commercial databases (both scientific and business). With the unification of Europe by 1992, however, the challenge is to develop databases that capture and report the local business and scientific information from each of the countries and then synthesize and digest the information into a structure that can offer the information as a Western European segment. Within the EEC, however, select countries use sophisticated information reporting systems along with commercial database offerings. The user, however, is faced with the obstacles of differing telecommunications systems and networks. As the unification progresses, data reporting standards and telecommunications access to local country databases will be necessary to enable the information professional to search local database information. Both Reuters and Datastar currently have the largest systems or networks to deliver European technical and business information.

尽管西欧数据库和分销商发展迅速，但大量的商业信息仍然保存在当地市场研究公司或公司图书馆中。例如，大型欧洲公司的当地分支机构和附属机构收集商业信息，并根据要求将其提供给当地或国际管理层，或者只是简单地将信息归档到文件柜中。这种类型的本地情报通常使用当地语言，由研究专业人员收集。研究专业人员面临的挑战是开发一个可以捕获这些信息并从材料中开发定制数据库的系统。

1.1.3 东欧/苏联：

The situation is more pronounced in Eastern Europe and the USSR. I term these regions as “virgin” territory for database development. Whereas Western Europe has had a sophisticated structure for research and information reporting or publishing, Eastern Europe and the USSR have had to rely on state-controlled agencies to gather and collect data (scientific and business). Despite this fact, local market research firms and state agencies have had some type of data reporting methodology even without the technology.

In some countries, these local “intelligence networks” are quite sophisticated, and the challenge is to locate these firms and to develop a business relationship whereby the information can be automated and disseminated to worldwide users. Clearly, the development of databases from these countries will be slow as these countries are still undergoing economic and political changes. Until the reporting and publishing systems improve in several of these countries, the integrity of the published material will continue to be questioned.

1.1.4 墨西哥、中美洲、南美洲：

Similar to Eastern Europe and the USSR, this region of the world has not had a sophisticated publishing or research network. While some government agencies collect and publish data, local business intelligence (e.g. industry, market and competitive data) is lacking. Once again, the challenge is to develop databases from credible sources. One of the best sources for local market intelligence is from the local affiliate or distribution offices in this region of the world. The challenge is to motivate the local offices to forward the information to a centralized library for input into the corporate intelligence system.

It is important that this region of the world does not possess the plethora of business publications such as in the USA or Western Europe from which to scan, research, and abstract the material. Therefore, the research who requires information from Latin America will have to depend more on local intelligence gathering for input into their system.

1.1.5 远东地区：

As mentioned previously, Japan has the most sophisticated systems and commercial database products in the Far East. While they have been long-time users of European and USA databases and reports, they have recently expanded the distribution of their databases (translated into English) to the USA and European Community. Other countries such as Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore are making strides to develop commercial databases and open up distribution of other international databases into their country. Here again, much of the existing data is not in electronic format nor is it is published material. Similar to Eastern Europe, much of the valuable information is in the affiliate offices and local libraries. The challenge is to capture this information on a systematic basis and disseminate it throughout an organization.

Several large market research firms have valuable data in Australia. During recent years, Australia has made strides to use and disseminate electronic information. With the increased use of telecommunications technology, it is expected that the research professional will be able to locate strategic market information from this region of the world either through electronic commercial databases or published global market intelligence directories.

1.1.6 信息碎片化：

As we begin the 90s, research executives must be able to view their competition on a worldwide basis. Specifically, they must have rapid access to translated, digested, and analyzed information. More importantly, the information must be credible. While Western European research executives have been gathering information and analyzing their own domestic markets over the past four decades, they are now faced with the fragmentation of published information on a worldwide basis.

我们建议研究专业人员按地理区域、行业、市场、产品和竞争对手来组织他们的研究信息。虽然这看起来是一种过于简单的方法，但可以建立数据库，系统地从本地分支机构获取信息，并检测数据中的“漏洞”。

1.1.7 信息的及时性：

Information that is local to the country or termed “domestic” can usually be obtained rapidly. However, the research professional must still have a system that systematically scans the domestic publications, determines which articles are strategic or have a high degree of impact on the business, and must digest the articles to be input into a system. This challenge is augmented when publications from other European countries and from other geographical regions of the world must be scanned, digested and abstracted. Global information, even when it is structured and captured on a consistent basis, still has to be translated, formatted and input electronically for transmission. During the next five years, I believe that software and telecommunications technology will make its greatest developments in this area.

During the 90s, research executives will require worldwide news information on a daily basis and digested published information which is no older than a week. During this next decade, executives will demand “answers to specific questions” rather than piles of information or voluminous reports or outputs from database searches. As information professionals, we have to be ready to deliver against these difficult orders.

2. 解决方案：需要对已发布信息进行持续的跟踪

Despite the advances in software, computer, and telecommunications technology, the information capturing process, translation process, and electronic input is, for the most part, manual. This will continue to be the case for the next few years, particularly in Third World countries. The research executive is faced with the following challenges:

• The need for an efficient method or system that will scan and digest the relevant newspapers and business and technical journals in the domestic country, and then expand this to the other countries within the EEC
• The need for this information to be scanned daily, translated, digested, abstracted, and placed into electronic format for a market intelligence system
• 需要将此覆盖范围扩大到世界其他地区。

Within the USA, several large corporations have developed a corporate or market intelligence system to accomplish this task. In effect, senior management has made a “top down” commitment to invest in this type of system to enable management throughout the organization to be kept abreast of the industry, the market, the competition and the products, on a global basis. Typically, these systems are managed or staffed by the strategic planning or market research departments. The information is distributed by this department to senior management and to managers throughout the organization.

As the world economies evolve, much of the valuable information will be found in published articles and journals. Unfortunately, most of this information is kept in “pockets” within the organization or is resident in other countries. Shared corporate information networks break down these barriers and enable managers throughout the organization to cost-efficiently obtain the information. The role of the research professional is to be aware of these systems and to be knowledgeable as to the execution of these systems.

3. 如何定义你的发布信息需求

3.1. 战略信息审计

Within your own firm, I recommend that you initially survey your management and the recipients of your research to assess the utility of the published journals they are currently receiving. I term this procedure a “Strategic Information Audit,” as the survey accomplishes the following.

• 对当前出版物使用水平的评估
• 公司内部信息的“流动”（正式和非正式）
• 组织内订阅的重复程度
• 确定信息的及时性和“路由列表”的有效性
• Determines the cost and usefulness of newsletters, research publications, and reports
• Determines which managers are using computers and what form of communication they use the most
• Enables you to draw an “information blueprint” of you organization
• 使您能够评估受访者的愿望清单，该清单最终成为组织的最佳信息网络。

The strategic information audit should be conducted by a task force with representatives from the market research department, the library, the information systems department, and a representative from a business unit (no more than 4-5 representatives). The procedure should entail approximately 30-50 interviews of key suppliers and suppliers of information within the organization. The audit should clearly define the utility of the published information within the company and should summarize the needs of the users. The summary of the results should list the most needed published matter, determine the international scope of the literature, determine the optimum timeliness and format of the information, and determine if an electronic system or hard copy process is the best way to deliver published business intelligence to the recipients. A copy of a sample questionnaire is included in the Appendix 1 of this paper.

4. 国际商业情报来源

Within Western Europe and the USA, and Canada, numerous published sources of business and technical information exist. Unfortunately, executives and managers do not have the time to scan and digest all of the available publications that impact the business on a daily basis, much less on an international scale. In addition to published material, a wealth of strategic business and technical information is published in conference proceedings and in sales personnel trip reports. This published material should also be considered for input into a corporate intelligence system. The following lists sources of international business intelligence:

• 全国性和地方性报纸
• 商业和科学期刊
• 会议论文集
• 销售人员旅行报告
• 已发布的新闻通讯
• 联合和定制市场研究报告
• 内部业务和营销计划
• 内部备忘录
• 法律诉讼
• 组织内部和外部的研究与开发报告

With the unification of Western Europe, the collection, translation, analysis, and dissemination of published material is essential to develop new marketing and product development plans. Clearly, it is impossible for a research department to scan all of the publications from the member EEC countries on a daily basis, translate the material, analyze the information, and input the information on an electronic network on a daily or weekly basis. This situation becomes more complex if Western European companies wish to remain abreast with the rest of the world’s publications (Eastern Europe, USA, Latin America, Far East, etc.). As a result, the following section discusses a solution to the problem with the development of a process or system within the company to handle this information.

5. 如何开发原型系统

5.1. 数据库设计

完成战略信息审计并定义与战术和战略决策相关的已发布信息后，有必要开发一个低成本的系统原型。实际上，数据库的设计应该“脱离”战略信息审计用户的需求。以下概述了按地理区域组织已发布信息的数据库的示例设计：

按地理区域组织

___________________________________________________________________

Topic Area:                                      Industry                    Market Segments

___________________________________________________________________

行业趋势

___________________________________________________________________

政治趋势

___________________________________________________________________

经济发展

___________________________________________________________________

市场活动

___________________________________________________________________

竞争活动

___________________________________________________________________

新产品开发

___________________________________________________________________

活动

___________________________________________________________________

科技的使用

___________________________________________________________________

未来的趋势

___________________________________________________________________

显然，数据库的设计应反映调查受访者的意愿。应该注意的是，没有两个竞争对手会以相同的方式看待他们的产品和市场。数据库也可以按竞争对手 X、Y 或 Z 组织，采用竞争对手资料格式，如下图所示：

按竞争活动组织

_________________________________________________________________

主题领域：

Company Overview              Competitor X             Competitor Y              Competitor Z

_________________________________________________________________

� 总体战略方向

_________________________________________________________________

� 公司组织

_________________________________________________________________

� 市场地位

- 市场份额

— 竞争地位

— 广告和促销

_________________________________________________________________

财务表现

_________________________________________________________________

� 分销策略

_________________________________________________________________

� 研究与开发

- 战略

- 投资

_________________________________________________________________

� 新产品开发活动

_________________________________________________________________

� 科技的使用

_________________________________________________________________

� 国际战略

_________________________________________________________________

潜在的合并、收购、资产剥离

_________________________________________________________________

� 未来规划战略

_________________________________________________________________

5.1 1.数据库格式

Market intelligence systems which capture published information also require easy-to-use menu screens that enable the user to select the information they wish to view. Please note that the published data can be organized by geographical region, by competitor, and by topic. In other words, the system can include several different ways to view or access the information.

发布的信息可以通过三种方式呈现：

1. 文章摘要，附观点及参考文献

2. 带有摘要分析或文本信息的报告格式

3. 信息全文

Most market intelligence systems, which capture published information, provide abstracts of key relevant articles, which are abstracted daily and updated in the system weekly. They may also include 2-3 page newsletters and quarterly reports. Many of these systems also include information from the “field,” or rumor information from the field sales force or from plant personnel. Our experience indicates that field intelligence is not useful in the format of anecdotal rumors by itself. When this information is analyzed and verified by published information or by expert opinion, it is then suitable for inclusion in a market intelligence system. The following suggests preliminary screens for the prototype market intelligence system:

企业市场情报系统

____________________________________

菜单项：

____________________________________

� 摘要
____________________________________

� 时事通讯
____________________________________

季度报告
____________________________________

� 现场情报
____________________________________

Our experience indicates that the information that is published from these systems should be analytical. Most users can read factual information from the literature itself. It is necessary to add the value of analysis to both the abstracts and the report information.

5.1.2 如何开发原型

Following agreement on the design and format of the database, the coordinator for the market intelligence system will have to select software and computer equipment. For a prototype, we recommend developing the databases on a personal computer with a text-retrieval package. Following evaluation by a select group of users, and if the response is positive, we then recommend transporting the database to a mainframe or mini-computer which can store the information and which can be accessed by multiple users throughout the organization (on both a domestic and worldwide basis).

我们建议使用能够提供全文搜索功能和图形功能的软件包。此外，还应安装电信软件和数据线，以便用户通过国际拨号或在家中通过远程终端拨号获取信息。

需要注意的是，每六到十二个月应评估一次已发布材料的内容和系统的运行能力。随着国际商业环境的不断变化，市场情报系统也应如此。这意味着主题领域可能会每季度或每半年变化一次。然而，整体系统架构应该反映管理层未来三到五年的战略思维。

6. 内部人员配置与外包

Clearly, the development of market intelligence systems that capture published information and provide it to the organization needs an “internal champion” or a person from the research department who is willing to head up the strategic information audit effort, work with the information systems department to design the database, and implement the system. Our experience indicates that it is important for the internal champion to have “top down” support from senior management. Moreover, a budget must be established for the strategic information audit, the development of the prototype, the authoring of the information, or the procurement of the information into electronic format, and the acquisition of software, computers, and telecommunications equipment.

内部倡导者应是系统架构师，同时也是公司销售人员，即向内部管理和研究人员推销系统优势的人。此外，该人还应有一名技术人员支持数据库，并有一名客户服务人员“牵着用户的手”，从数据库获得持续的反馈。

With regard to the decision of whether to produce the databases using the existing research staff or to contract a supplier to publish the databases, the following questions serve as guidelines:

1. Does the research department have sufficient staff of research analysts to publish the information? Do they have the time to scan publications, clip the material, translate and summarize, the material and put it into database format?
2. 该部门是否具备数据库发布的技能和/或时间？研究分析师的时间是否应该花在分析数据库中的数据并为高级管理层发布分析报告或简报上？
3. Can the research department absorb the cost of the publications, or can they utilize the publications from the corporate library? The cost and translation of international publications should also be considered.
4. Compute a cost per abstract or quarterly report. Is it cheaper to outsource this work? Consider the quality issues. Perhaps it is more efficient to contract out the lower-level abstracting and have the research analysts access the database and analyze this material to produce senior-level management reports or marketing plans.

内部倡导者应进行如下“自制与购买”分析：

内部部门年度成本 (US$)

配备 3-4 名研究分析师：$200,000 – $250,000

翻译费：30,000 – 50,000

出版物：30,000 – 50,000

_______________________________ _________ _______

年度总成本：$260,000 – $350,000

每年 # 摘要 1,200 – 2,400

每篇摘要费用：$216 – $145

外部供应商

年度合同总额 $100,000 – $150,000

每年 # 摘要 1,200 – 2,400 篇

每篇摘要费用 $83 – $63

In most cases, it is more cost-efficient to contract with an outside supplier. The issue remains, however, whether the outside supplier can quickly, or over a period of time, develop the perspective you need so the abstracts and reports will add value to your analysis. Several companies with successful marketing intelligence systems contract to outside suppliers to publish the abstracts or quarterly summaries, and then their internal research analysts “manage the system” and utilize the information to publish more detailed analytical reports or answer key senior management questions or ad hoc requests.

7. 确定系统的成本/效益

In this current period of economic and political uncertainty, with tight budgets, investment in this type of system must clearly prove value or impact the corporation. The following outlines a typical budget for a market intelligence system that captures published information.

内部冠军、技术员、客户服务代表 $250,000
外部合同供应商 $100,000
_____________________________________________________ ________

总人工和材料成本：$350,000

个人电脑软件 1,000
主机软件（如果没有内部软件）$100,000
电脑的额外费用（如果公司内部没有电脑）————

Please note that companies have very successfully developed very cost-efficient systems on personal computers for minimal costs. It should be noted that these figures represent large corporate investments in systems that can be accessed worldwide by staff personnel.

After a period of one to two years, management will want to quantify the benefits of the system. If management can answer “yes” to any of the following questions, the system has paid for itself:

1 公司是否根据系统材料做出的决策增加了（或保护了）其市场份额或收入？

2 公司是否直接使用系统中的信息开发了新产品或重新定位了现有产品？

3 公司是否通过使用该系统发现了新的业务或市场机会（例如扩展到新市场 - 东欧、合并、收购等）？

4 通过使用此系统，公司是否能够更快、更有效地重新定位自己以适应欧洲统一？

5 通过及时翻译、综合和以电子格式提供已发布的信息，该公司的全球分支机构是否能够更快地做出决策？

8. 这些系统对国际信息执行局的战略重要性

During the next year, it will be necessary for corporations to have access to the published business intelligence of companies within and outside of the EEC. While a plethora of “Euro” publications may develop, research executives will still need business intelligence that is local to the member and non-member countries. Moreover, EEC countries will need business intelligence from Eastern Europe, USA, the Soviet Union, the Far East, Latin America, and other parts of the world. Strategic decisions are made from published information. The companies that invest in these systems will realize the greatest dividends during the 90s.

 

作者：Ruth Stanat，1990 年。