Uso de fontes de informação: um estudo em micro e pequenas empresas de consultoria de Belo Horizonte

Abstract

This study focuses on the main information sources used by business consultants in their professional activities. The 30 most common information sources used by consultants were identified and categorized according to their origin (internal or external sources to the consultancy), proximity (personal or non-personal sources) and their midia (electronic or non-electronic sources). Through a quantitative survey, the study identified the information seeking behavior of the consultants in relation to the information sources used, with emphasis on the access frequency and their perceived relevance and reliability. While electronic sources are accessed more frequently, personal sources are more relevant and reliable, according to the business consultants. The study has also identified the information use behavior of the consultants, according to three possibilities: making sense of the changes of the external environmental, building knowledge through learning, and supporting thedecision-making processes. This last aspect was considered the main objective to business consultants, as far as information search for their business is concerned.