Value Chain of Information Sharing: Information Seeking and Information Providing

Michael Porter's competitive advantage value chain provides a proven method for organisations to analyse their operations. The salient features of the competitive advantage value chain are identified as a basis for proposing a value chain for information (or knowledge). The purpose of an information sharing value chain is to enable organisations to assess the information that has value to them, their customers and their suppliers. The sole existing information value chain proposal is evaluated and it is found to be inadequate. The desirable properties of an effective information sharing value chain are discussed. This results in separate information value chains for information seeking and for information providing. The two separate information sharing value chains are then combined. Their use is illustrated with a case study of the information activities of the crew of the Titanic prior to its sinking which reveals some minor limitations. These are discussed in light of the salient features that were identified and the consequences for information sharing. Reason for interest to the conference participants There is only one current article which discussed the information value chain and its support activities contradict the overarching purpose of support activities as defined by Michael Porter (1985/1998). The primary activities are arranged as a kind of cycle and do not provide discrete categories which are applicable to the business rationale for seeking and providing information.