Ann Persson Sales Manager - Academic Sales

PrioInfo ABann.persson@prioinfo.se

Improved information at lower costs?

Challenges and possibilities for agents, publishers and users of information

Objective with presentation

• Increased competition in the information industry• Fast development of new services, platforms and

solutions• Change of market structure • Change in the use of information• New role for all players in the industry• Improved products at lower costs?

The perspective of the agent/mediator

PrioInfo - mediator of information services• Company founded in 1994• Mediator of information services in

medicine, science and technology • Business activities in Sweden, Norway,

Finland, Denmark, Iceland and the Baltic States • 15 persons full-time employed• turnover 2001: ca 65 million SEK• Consortia projects

Is the quality of information, information structure and retrieval systems improving?

...yes! (?)

• Improved content• More frequent updating services• Search and retrevial systems • Coverage• Specialization - tailor-made information• Intergration products• User friendlieness• Combination products & linking systems

Is the cost of new information products too high?

Are there ways to buythe new and improved information products at lower costs?

Price differentiation and flexibility• Stronger competition• Different pricing structures for

different customer groups• Different pricing structures

for different countries & regions• Pricing based on user population

Larger volume - lower price

• New user groups• ”end-user” revolution • Market growth• Production costs and product development

can be covered by high volume instead of higher prices

Sponsored (free) Sponsored (free) informationinformation• Web-portals• Example: Pharma Industries• Newspaper sites - financed by advertising• High quality content and information is driving

visitors to Web-sites

Consortia and buyingConsortia and buyingco-operativesco-operatives• National consortia organizations

(FinELib, BIBSAM)• Pan-Scandinavian Academic Consortia • Industry Association Membership Offers • Corporate Consortia • Mixed Academic & Corporate Consortia • Advantages for publishers, users and agents

Case 1: Scandinavian Academic Case 1: Scandinavian Academic Compendex ConsortiumCompendex Consortium• 40+ universities and university colleges in

Scandinavia• Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland• Tier 1-3 structure with lower prices for smaller

institutions• Large growth potential • Administrated by PrioInfo in co-operation with • SUTL-Group - PrioInfo - Engineering Information• 25 - 50% discount for consortia members

Case 2: Scandinavian CorporateCase 2: Scandinavian CorporateMaterials Science ConsortiumMaterials Science Consortium

• Swedish Metals Research Institute • License to Materials Science Collection with

METADEX from CSA • 16 steel and metal industries in Sweden,

Norway and Finland • 25% discount achieved through the consortium.

Case 3: SIK/FSTA-ConsortiumCase 3: SIK/FSTA-Consortium

• Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology (120+ members, Food Industry, Universities…)

• FSTA - Food Science and Technology Abstracts

• SilverPlatter-IFIS-SIK-PrioInfo • Discount-level 50% • 10+ consortia members

Case 4: Finnish Hospital Case 4: Finnish Hospital Pharmacy ConsortiumPharmacy Consortium

• Martindale + DrugDex. Drug-information databases from Micromedex (Thomson)

• 27 Finnish hospital pharmacies - independently financed by regional healtcare

• Seminars and training

• 20-25% discount

There are ways around There are ways around High Quality = High price! High Quality = High price!

Challenges and possibilities Challenges and possibilities for agents, customers for agents, customers and publishers. and publishers.

Challenges for the agentChallenges for the agent

• Active business partner instead of passive order taker

• Consortia facilitator• Close customer integration & co-operation• Initiate new ideas & projects• Vertical approach on local markets • Service and customer contact• Active marketing and information

Challenges for the publisherChallenges for the publisher

• Product development • Greater need to listen to the market • Higher flexibility • Close contact with customers • Globalization - Localization

Challenges for the librarian Challenges for the librarian

• Active business partner - instead of passive consumer/mediator

Thank you for Thank you for your attention! your attention!

Ann Persson Sales Manager - Academic Sales

PrioInfo ABann.persson@prioinfo.se