The challenge of staying informed - Front Lines - Brief Article

Chief Executive, The, August-Sept, 2002

When it comes to staying informed about current management thinking these days, executives and managers wish they had more time and resources to read more business books and attend more conferences and seminars.

These are among the latest findings of NFI Research, a U.S.-based research firm that identifies and analyzes trends and attitudes in business and organizational management and information technology.

When asked what means they would like to employ to stay informed, 65 percent of the respondents checked "business books," while 53 percent cited conferences and seminars. Networking was listed by 39 percent, while 34 percent listed online research. After the business magazines category, which was included by 33 percent of respondents, industry trade magazines (18 percent), and management newsletters (17 percent) followed. Newspapers, TV, and radio were cited by 7 percent, 5 percent and 3 percent, respectively.

"Although managers are hard-pressed to keep their heads above water, they continually seek to learn and grow," says Chuck Martin, CEO of NFI Research and author of Managing for the Short Term (Doubleday, 2002).

NFI RESEARCH FINDINGS

"Which of the following do you had more time/resources to do to stay
informed?"

BUSINESS BOOKS                      65%
CONFERENCES & SEMINARS              53%
NETWORKING/INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS  39%
ONLINE RESEARCH                     34%
BUSINESS MAGAZINES                  33%
INDUSTRY TRADE MAGAZINES            18%
MANAGEMENT NEWSLETTERS              17%
NEWSPAPER                            7%
TV                                   5%
RADIO                                3%
OTHER                                2%

[c]Net Future Institute

Note: Table made from bar graph