Hal P. Kirkwood Jr
Purdue University – Main Campus, kirkwood@purdue.edu

Abstract
This article analyses and discusses concepts of business information, with a view to developing a unified theory of business information to help underpin professional information work.

Keywords
Business Information, Information Literacy, Concept Mapping

Introduction
Business information consists of a multifaceted array of  topics and subtopics interconnected to form the overall business information environment. Business information literacy, as defined here, is the comprehension of the varied topics and subtopics of business along with the ability to search and use business-focused information resources to make informed financially motivated decisions. While information literacy generally remains a concept relevant to academic librarians, business information literacy does bridge the apparent gap between academic librarians and corporate librarians; business information literacy can be translated to competitive intelligence in more applied business settings. The importance of understanding the business environment cannot be overstated in the current hyper-competitive markets. Effective decision-making relies on the efficient and timely use of quality information. Understanding the connections and flow of business information is beneficial for this improved decision-making perspective. (Read More)