Going 'on-line' in the environmental scanning process

Online computerized databases (OCDBs) are increasingly being used within organizations for assessing large volumes of information. Their use in the environmental scanning process remains relatively limited, however. A test of an OCDBs usefulness in tracking eight issues over a two-and-a-half-year period is reported. The test was part of a trade and economic development project focused on the Caribbean basin. While some methodological and operational questions remain, results suggest that OCDBs can be a powerful addition to the repertoire of information technologies available to researchers and organizations in understanding and managing the impact of issues.