MBA - FINANCE PROJECT TOPICS LISTTOPICS BASED ON INDIAN FINANCIAL SYSTEM (Financial Services,

Financial Markets, Financial Institutions and Financial Instruments)1. Performance evaluation of Mutual Funds (sector wise like Automobile. Banking, FMCG, Textiles, Cement, Software, Real Estate etc.)2. Comparative Analysis of Mutual Funds performance (Sector wise)3. Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) in Mutual Funds (Sector wise)4. Comparison of Mutual Funds with Equity5. Comparison of Mutual Funds with ULIPS (Unit Linked Insurance Plans)6. Investors perception towards Mutual Funds7. Fundamental Analysis of Equity8. Technical Analysis of Equity9. Arbitrage trading analysis10. Investors perception towards stock market investment11. Comparative study of share market and Mutual Funds12. A study on best performing scrip’s in NIFTY13. Online Trading System14. Risk & Return analysis of Equity15. Risk & Return analysis of Portfolio Management16. Derivatives (only options - Call and Put Options)17. Derivatives ( only Futures - Stock and Index Futures)18. Derivatives ( both Futures & Options)19. Commodity Trading Analysis (Gold & Silver)20. Commodity Trading Analysis (Base Metals)21. Initial Public Offer Analysis (IPO)22. Follow on Public Offer Analysis (FPO)23. Forex Trading Analysis24. A study on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)in India25. A study of Foreign Institutional Investors (FII) in India26. A study on Venture Capital Financing in India27. A study on “Spectrum of Investment Avenues in India”28. A Study on " Foreign Exchange Risk Management"29. A Study on working of "NSDL & CDSL"30. A Study on "CREDIT RATING"31. American Depository Receipts (ADR)32. Global Depository Receipts (GDR)33. SEBI and Investor Protection - A study34. Problems of stock brokers vis-a-vis the share transfers.35. Impact of Liberalisation on Capital Market.36. Working of National Stock Exchange (NSE)37. Working of Stock Exchange in India - A comparative study of BSE and NSE38. Mergers and Acquisitions in India - A study39. Role of Institutional and small investors in Capital Markets in India.40. Status of Equity Research in India.41. Issue Management42. Liberalisation and Integration of Financial Markets.43. Portfolio Management Practices of Mutual Fund.44. Problems and Prospects of Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFC)45. Management of Non-Banking Finance Companies - A study of selected units46. Financial Services - Growth and Development - A study of selected companies.

47. Trends in Mutual Funds - A case study48. Problems and Prospects of Venture Capital - A case study49. Effetc of Liberalisation on Savings and Investments in India.50. Liberalisation and the Recent Trends in Financial Intermediation.

1) EOQ (Economical Order Quantity)

2) ABC analysis (Inventory)  

3) Vendor Performance

4) Centralised Purchase

5) Company analysis with Ratio/Fund Flow

6) Study of Stock Exchange

7) Role of SEBI (Securities Exchange Board of India)

8) Role of Small Scale Industries in Developing Nation

9)  Cash Management / Fund Management

10) Mutual funds

11) Labour Welfare Scheme

12) Working Capital Management

13) Role of SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India)   

14) Importance of Budget

15) FDI (Foreign Direct Investment)

16) Essentials of a Valid Contract

17) Credit Cards

18) Private Sector Banks

19) Corporate Finance

20) Internet Banking

21) Capital Markets

22) TDS Contractors/Salaries

23) Value Added Tax

24) Finance Scams in India

25) Comparative Study of Industries (Financial Angle)list of Finance Topics:

01. Cash management02. Management of financial services03. Working capital04. Inventory control05. Audit and Accounting06. Budgeting/Cost Control07. Business Valuations08. Cost Benchmarking

09. Electronic Funds Transfer10. Factoring/Financing11. Product/Customer Profitability12. Project Assessment, Feasibility13. Risk Management

Working Capital management - The Impact of Working Capital Management on Cash Holdings Capital structure - Capital Structure and Dividend Policy: Evidence from Emerging Markets Ratio analysis - Financial Performance Using Ratio Analysis Financial Modelling of a company for last 10 years, leading to a analysis of its ratios. Liquidity Analysis Comparative Valuation Corporate lending Industry analysis and company analysis on a scenario basis, competitiveness, growth potential and credit analysis Debtor management Research in Risk management, Banking, Derivatives etc International Banking, Foreign Exchange, Monetary Economics, Micro Finance, Rural Finance The Effects of Financial Constraints on Corporate Investment Decisions and Demand for Liquidity Corporate finance Capital budgeting - Capital Budgeting and Initial Cash Outlay(ICO) Uncertainty   Virtual finance Financial Planning and forecasting Structured Finance Computational finance Optimization Methods in Finance Dependence on external finance: an inherent industry characteristic? Project Finance as a Tool for Growth Creating Value through Financial Management Cost Reduction and Control New Financial Approaches for the Economic Sustainability in Manufacturing Industry Activity-based costing and management Fundamental Analysis to Assess Earnings Quality EQA Earnings quality Analysis Zero Base Budgeting International business - Project Reports on International business International finance Investment banking Investment management Venture Capital - Venture Capitalists on the Seed Stage Arena: A Fit or Misfit 

SECURITIES MARKET82.   job satisfaction83.   job satisfaction in PAPER INDUSTRY84.   job satisfaction in TEXTILE COMPANY85.   JOB SATISFACTION in soft ware company86.   JOB satisfaction in TEXTILE SPINNING MILL87.   job satisfaction level88.   Job satisfaction of employees in TEXTILE MILLS89.   job seekers potential & consulting awareness90.   Labour welfare measures at STEEL INDUSTRY

91.   macro economic factors of share price mvmt92.   MARGINAL COSTING AND BREAK EVEN ANALYSIS93.   MARKET FEASIBILITY OF BULK SELLING OF INTERNATIONAL LONG DISTANCE CALLS FOR BHARTI CELLULAR LIMITED94.   operating & financial performance of SALEM STEEL PLANT95.   OPERATING AND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF SOUTHERN IRON AND STEEL COMPANY96.   ORDER PROCESSING SYSTEM97.   organizational culture-salem steel plant98.   Organisational Climate99.   organisational climate in TEXTILE (HOSIERY) COMPANY100.                        ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE101.                        organisational culture, over all performance, motivational factor102.                        PAYROLL SYSTEM103.                        PERCEPTION OF LIFE INSURANCE AGENCY104.                        PERCEPTION OF MOBILE PHONE SERVICE PROVIDERS105.                        Performance Appraisal for managerial employees in LVB106.                        performance appraisal107.                        PREFERENCE OF SALARIED CLASS ON VARIOUS INVESTMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THEM108.                        PRODUCT MIX – SPB109.                        RISK PERCEPTION AND PORTFOLIO110.                        role of HR in Total Productivity Maintenance111.                        SAFETY AND WELFARE MEASURES PROVIDED TO THE EMPLOYEES AT XXXXX PORT TRUST, XXXXX112.                        safety welfare measures113.                        satisfaction level of employee on various welfare facilities114.                        SATISFACTION LEVEL OF SERVICE PROVIDED BY TATA INDICOM VIS-À-VIS ITS COMPETITORS115.                        SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE PRODUCT MIX FOR PROFIT MAXIMISATION in paper industry116.                        STRATEGIES TO INCREASE THE CUSTOMERS117.                        study of non performing dealers & to convert them into performing dealers118.                        STUDY ON AIDED AND UNAIDED BRAND RECALL OF ICICI LOMBARD GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY LTD., XXXXX WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO119.                        STUDY ON CORPORATES AND JOB SEEKERS120.                        STUDY ON CUSTOMER AWARENESS ABOUT ICICI121.                        STUDY ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ABOUT CASTINGS122.                        STUDY ON INVESTMENT PATTERN AND PREFERENCE OF RETAIL INVESTORS IN XXXXX CITY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO MUTUAL FUNDS, FOR KARVY123.                        Study on the Purchasing Pattern Of Finolex124.                        study on whether taxation is selling tool for life insurance with special reference to ICICI125.                        STUDY TO IDENTIFY WHY THE STD. USAGE BY AIRTEL CUSTOMERS IN XXXXX IS LESSER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE126.                        system - DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTION MONITORING SYSTEM IN SNQS SOCKS

127.                        The Effectiveness Of The Existing Appraisal System At Indian Airlines And To Suggest Measures For The Improvement Of The System128.                        TOTAL PRODUCTIVITY MAINTENANCE129.                        various invetsment avenues with special ref to MF130.                        WOKING CAPITAL MGT131.                        A multi-dimensional analysis of working capital management, techniques, tools and changing patterns in a manufacturing concern at XXXXXX.132.                        Absenteeism-of-Employees133.                        An Analysis of the Profitability & performance of Michingan Auto Insurance134.                        ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS SHARE TRADING AND SALES PROMOTION OF INDIABULLS SECURITIES LTD135.                        ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS SHARE TRADING AND SALES PROMOTION OF KOTAK SECURITIES LTD136.                        ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS SHARE TRADING AND SALES PROMOTION OF KARVY LTD137.                        ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS SHARE TRADING AND SALES PROMOTION OF GEOJIT SECURITIES LTD138.                        ANALYSIS OF EQUITY FUNDS OF MUTUAL FUNDS WITH SPECIAL REFFERENCE TO APOLLO SINDHOORI FINANCE SERVICES139.                        ANALYSIS OF INSURANCE & IRDA TRAINING140.                        ANALYSIS OF RETAIL INDUSTRY141.                        ANALYSIS OF THE FOREX MARKET142.                        analytical framework of project financing & analysis of the existing project appraisal mechanism at bank143.                        analytical study of training in XXXX company144.                        ANNUAL REPORT ANALYSYS – finance145.                        ANNUAL REPORT ANALYSYS OF ADLABS146.                        A-REPORT-ON-CREDIT-APPRAISAL-OF-INDUSTRIAL-FINANCE-FOR-SME’s147.                        A-Study-on-Customer-Perception-in-Banking-Industry-Using-Gap-Analysis148.                        A-Study-on-Customer-Perception-Towards-the-Services-Offered-in-Retail-Banking149.                        A-STUDY-ON-INVESTOR’S-PERCEPTION-TOWARDS-ONLINE-TRADING150.                        A-STUDY-ON-INVESTOR’S-PERCEPTION-TOWARDS-ONLINE-TRADING in Religare151.                        Attrition152.                        AWARENESS OF DIFFERENT FINANCIAL PRODUCTS SPECIALREFERENCE TO MUTUAL FUNDS AMONG FINANCIAL ADVISORS IN XXXXXX153.                        Banking-Industry-Vison-2010154.                        Bank-Marketing155.                        Bank-Marketing - A whole study156.                        BRAND IMAGE157.                        BRAND mgt – PROJECT158.                        Brand-Image --- Apollo-Tyres159.                        Branding- mgt

160.                        Brand-Management - Category Attractiveness & Product Opportunity161.                        brand-managment in communication sector162.                        BUDGET PROCEDURE & ANALYSIS163.                        BUDGETARY CONTROL164.                        BUILDING MARKETING STRATEGY165.                        capital budgeting166.                        capital structure analysis167.                        CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND FIRM'S PERFORMANCE168.                        Capital budgeting169.                        Capital Asset Pricing Model170.                        carbon credit futures171.                        cash-Management-at-Indian-Oil-Corporation-Ltd172.                        Cash-Management-Report at BANK173.                        Cash-Mgmt-in-Bank-of-India174.                        Cement-Market - MARKET SURVEY OF RETAIL MARKET & SALES PROMOTION175.                        Commercial-Banking-Service176.                        COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EQUITY & DERIVATIVE MARKET177.                        Comparative Evaluation Strategies in Mergers and Acquisitions178.                        comparative-analysis-of-bank179.                        Comparative-Analysis-of-Public-and-Private-Sector-Steel-Companies-in-India180.                        COMPARISON ON MUTUAL FUND SCHEMES181.                        Comparitive-Study-ICICI-HDFC life insurance182.                        Compensation Management183.                        compensation_policy184.                        Competition Issues in Indian Steel Industry185.                        Competitive Analysis of Trading186.                        competitive analysis of trading reliance money187.                        COMPNY ANALYSIS --- ITC188.                        CONSUMER BEHAVIOR TOWARDS EMU TRAINS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO BEACH-TAMBARAM SECTOR189.                        CORPORATE FINANCING AND CORPORATE VALUATION OF INDIAN COMPANIES190.                        credit appraisal191.                        Credit-Appraisal-for-Working-Capital-Finance-to-Small-and-Medium-Enterprises-at-XXXX-Bank192.                        Credit-Appraisal-Renewal193.                        Credit-Appraisal & Rating194.                        CREDIT-FACILITIES-FOR-SMEs195.                        customer preferences towards different brands of soyabean oil196.                        customer retention and increase the Sales within the limited territory within the existing potential - RELIANCE COMM197.                        dealers perception towards SAMSUNG198.                        Derivatives

199.                        Developing Marketing Strategy to meet Capacity expansion Post200.                        disbursement-of-home-loans-by-commercial-banks201.                        Do Market Timing Hedge Funds Time the Market202.                        Downsizing203.                        Effectiveness & Problems in Recruitment204.                        Employee - absenteeism205.                        Empirical analysis of subprime mortgage206.                        Empirical Study of Firm Financial Position on its Risk and Return207.                        Employee Relations208.                        EMPLOYEE RETENTION209.                        employee retention project210.                        Employee-Absenteeism211.                        Equity-Analysis212.                        Equity-Performance-of-Investment-Newsletters213.                        Equity-valuation few IT companies214.                        EVALUATION, FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF BANKING SYSTEM IN INDIA215.                        EXIM Bank Project216.                        EXPANSION OF (company name) IN EASTERN REGION THROUGH CHANNEL BUSINESS MODEL OR OWN BRANCH MODEL217.                        Export218.                        EXPORT FINANCE219.                        Export Procedures and Documentations – EXIM220.                        Export-Procedure-and-Manufacturing-Process221.                        Export-Procedure-Documentation-in-an-Apparel-Export-House222.                        Factor analysis for investing223.                        FACTORS AFFECTING BUYING BEHAVIOUR224.                        FINANCIAL PERFOMANCE ANALYSIS OF PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO KARVY STOCK BROKING225.                        FINANCING AND CREDIT APPRAISAL226.                        Forecasting the Equity Premium and optimal portfolios227.                        general study of ICICI bank & comparison of ICICI facilities with other banks228.                        HDFC mis project229.                        HOME LOAN - A COMPARITIVE STUDY230.                        HR-activities & initiatives in cement industry231.                        HR-Practices-in-Hotel-Industry232.                        ICICI_Bank_operations233.                        Import-Export-Procedure234.                        index & price variations in NSE235.                        INDEX VARIATION & PORTFOLIO MGT.236.                        INDEX VARIATION & PORTFOLIO MGT.A Comparative Study Of Shares Of Various Industries237.                        INTEREST RATE FLUCTUATION AND ITS IMPACT ON DEMAND FOR CONSUMER DURABLE LOANS

238.                        INTEREST RATE FLUCTUATION AND ITS IMPACT ON DEMAND FOR CONSUMER DURABLE LOANS - ICICI & SBI239.                        INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS240.                        international trade finance project report241.                        Internet Marketing242.                        Inventory-Management in finance243.                        Inventory-Management-Project HR244.                        investment in equities245.                        Investment options thesis-Finance-Stock-Mutual-Funds-Forex246.                        INVESTORS-PREFERENCES-TOWARDS-MUTUAL-FUNDS-WITH-REFERENCE-TO-KOTAK247.                        Iron-and-Steel-Industry-Analytic248.                        Labour-welfare-at-WCL-project-Report249.                        Leadership250.                        LEVEL OF CUSTOMER PERCEPTION TOWARDS HDFC STANDARD LIFE INSURANCE AND BIRLA SUN LIFE INSURANCE251.                        Leverage & Cost Behavior analysis252.                        Listing-of-Securities253.                        Management and risk control of financial institutions254.                        managing attrition in BPO industry255.                        Mar - Analysis of import and export data of the industries and companies256.                        MARKET SHARE OF AIRTEL257.                        marketing mix mapping258.                        Marketing of Banking Services259.                        MARKETING OF IDEA POSTPAID SERVICES260.                        Marketing Plan - Principles of Marketing261.                        Marketing-of-Banking-Services-Urban-Areas262.                        Microfinance An Initiative to Promote Social Welfare in DDDDD dist With special reference to XXXX Bank263.                        Management and risk control of financial institutions264.                        Organizational-culture-HR- Mobilink265.                        Money Market Instruments Project Report266.                        MUTUAL FUNDS267.                        NEED OF TRAINING & DEVELOPMENT268.                        NEEDS OF TRAINING269.                        Networked products create new business opportunities270.                        OPTION STRATEGIES271.                        Organizational Climate Survey272.                        performance appraisal – core company273.                        Performance-Appraisal - in JINDAL274.                        Performance-Appraisal – Impact275.                        Analyzing Performance-Appraisal System276.                        Performance-Appraisal in Ispat Industries

277.                        Performance-Appraisal-in-ONGC278.                        PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS AND EVALUATION OF EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION279.                        Portfolio management (Investment management)280.                        Portfolio Management and Investment Decision281.                        PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT THROUGH MUTUAL FUNDS282.                        power-sector-analysis283.                        PROBLEM OF TIMELY AVAILABLILTY OF WORKING CAPITAL TO SME’S284.                        Production Control285.                        profitability analysis286.                        projected-cash-flow-analysis287.                        project-finance288.                        Project-Finance-Project-Evaluation-at-Indian-Oil289.                        Quality-of-Work-Life in BHEL290.                        Quality-of-Work-Life in TEXTILE company291.                        Quality-of-Work-Life – General (fit to all companies)292.                        Ratio Analysis293.                        ratio-analysis-project-gmr-infra-ltd-ratio-analysis294.                        REAL ESTATE - key factors in valuing the properties295.                        rebranding of liril to liril2000296.                        Receivable-management-its-impact297.                        Recruitment and problems entitled - in RECRIUTMENT CONSULTING298.                        Recruitement & Selection in Pharmaceutical company299.                        Recruitment of life advisors in ICICI prudential300.                        Recruitment-and-Selection in INSURANCE SECTOR301.                        Recruitment-and-Selection - general (fit for all industries)302.                        recruitment-and-selection in FACILITY MGT COMPANY303.                        Recruitment-and-Selection in INSURANCE SECTOR304.                        Recruitment-and-Selection-Project-Report305.                        Recruitment-Selection in HR consulting306.                        Recruitment-Selection-HIND LAMP LTD307.                        relationship between risk and return of equity funds of reliance mutual fund308.                        RETAIL LOANS & CREDIT FACILITY IN XXXX BANK309.                        retails banking & evaluation of financial performnance of AXIS bank310.                        Review on Techniques adopted by HR Management to Improve the Effectiveness of Training and Development311.                        RiskTakers312.                        ROLE OF FINANCIAL RATIO ON DISBRUSEMENT OF LOAN TO COMPANIES - IDBI BANK313.                        ROLE-OF-HRD-CLIMATE-IN-INDUSTRIAL-ESTABLISHMENT314.                        Rural Finance in an Indian Economy(2)315.                        SALES ANALYSIS AND COMPARATIVE ANAYSIS OF AIRTEL WITH ALL TELECOM SECTOR316.                        Sales-Promotion317.                        Savings account & Current Account

318.                        SERVICE QUALITY AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF EXPECTATIONS VERSUS PERCEPTIONS IN THE DELIVERY OF FINANCIAL SERVICES319.                        Service-Marketing320.                        Service-Proliferation-and-Customer-Satisfaction-at-XXXXXXX321.                        steel industry322.                        STEEL SECTOR – EVALUATION323.                        Steel-Industry-in-India324.                        STRATEGIES ADOPTED TO INCREASE SALES IN HDFC LIFE INSURANCE325.                        Study About Mutual-Fund326.                         STUDY OF GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY327.                        STUDY OF MILK MARKET, SWOT ANALYSIS328.                        Study of Reliance PCO market and sales329.                        Study on Procurement and Development of Life advisors330.                        Study-of-International-Marketing-Project-Report331.                        Study-on-Customer-Perception-Towards-the-Services-Offered-in-Retail-Banking-by-South-Indian-Bank-Vennikulam-Branch-Kerala332.                        Subprime lending333.                        T & D334.                        TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF EQUITY335.                        TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF S&PCNX NIFTY INDEX IN INDIA336.                        Technical-Analysis337.                        textile mgt.338.                        the knowledge of Risk Tolerance that an Investor can handle339.                        The Risk of Beta – Investor Learning and Prospect Theory340.                        The-Returns-to-Currency-Speculation341.                        The-risk-perceptions-of-individual-investors342.                        Thesis-on-Idea-Markets343.                        TO ASSES THE PERCUED CUSTOMER SATISFATION TOWARDS THE SERVICE QUALITY PROVIDED BY THE LIC BY USING THE TOOL OF GAP ANALYSIS344.                        To study the various financial opportunities available for investment345.                        Tracking Mutual Fund Scheme Performance346.                        TRADING ON EQUITY IN XXXXX SECURITIES LIMITED347.                        TRADING THROUGH TECHNICAL ANALYSIS348.                        TRAINING349.                        training & development350.                        Training & Development in Sahara India Pariwar351.                        TRAINING AND DEVLOPMENT in relinace money352.                        Training HR-project353.                        Training Needs Identification of Associates354.                        training-and-development355.                        Training-and-Development356.                        understand-the-Brand-Recall

357.                        Validity of Capital Asset Pricing Model & Stability of Systematic Risk (Beta) An Empirical Study on Indian Stock Market358.                        VALUATION OF MULTI NAME CREDIT DERIVATIVES359.                        various types of investment and what is the right time to invest in different option available in market360.                        VENTURE CAPITAL361.                        Venture Capital in India362.                        WELFARE-FACILITY-PROVIDED-TO-EMPLOYEES-BY-BANK-OF-INDIA-project-report363.                        why-individual-investors-want-dividends364.                        working capital ---- SIEMENS365.                        WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT366.                        Working-Capital-Management in JAIN IRRIGATION367.                        Working-Capital-Management in TEXTILE INDUSTRY

Information Resources Management (IRM) is an emerging discipline that helps managers assess and exploit their information assets for business development. It draws on the techniques of information science (libraries) and information systems (IT related). It an important foundation for knowledge management, in that deals systematically with explicit knowledge. Knowledge centres often play an important part in introducing IRM into an organization.

Nick Willard of ASLIB's IRM Network (now the IRM SIG) has developed a model highlighting the five key activities for their effective IRM management:

Identification What information is there? How is it identified and coded?

Ownership Who is responsible for different information entities and co-ordination?

Cost and Value A basic model for making judgements on purchase and use

Development Increasing its value (see '10 ways to add value to your business') or stimulating demand.

Exploitation Proactive maximisation of value for money

Benefits of implementing an IRM Strategy

Few organizations have developed a comprehensive IRM strategy. Those that have started with some of its key processes of information audit, and information mapping cite the following benefits:

Identifies gaps and duplication of information Clarifies roles and responsibilities of owners and users of information Provide costs saving in the procurement and handling of information Identifies cost/benefits of different information resources Actively supports management decision processes with quality information

Some of the issues that it addresses are:

Strategic - the information needs to support the implementation of business strategies; also the way that information itself can be a key lever of strategy (in terms of new product and service opportunities)

Organizational - ownership, evaluation, fragmentation, isolation from processes, the politics of information

Structural Integrating external and internal information, its categorisation, refining it from data into classified actionable 'chunks'.

Systems User accessibility, interface to sources, multiple databases, retrieval, usability

Human Processing capability, overload, incentives to share.

How to Manage Information as a Strategic Asset

1. Understand the role of Information.

Information can add value to your products and services. Improved information flows can improve the quality of decision making and internal operations. Yet many managers do not fully understand the real impact of information - the cost of a lost opportunity, of a poor product, of a strategic mistake - all risks that can be reduced by using the appropriate information.

2. Assign Responsibility for Leading your IRM Initiative.Developing value from information resources is often a responsibility that falls between the cracks of several departments - the user departments in different business units, and corporate planning, MIS units or librarians..

3. Develop Clear Policies on Information ResourcesPolicies for ascertaining information needs, acquiring and managing information throughout its life cycle. Pay particular attention to ownership, information integrity and sharing. Make the policies consistent with your organisational culture.

4. Conduct an Information Audit (Knowledge Inventory).Identify current knowledge and information resources (or entities), their users, usage and importance. Identify sources, cost and value. Classify information and knowledge by its key

attributes. Develop knowledge maps. As knowledge management gains prominence, this is sometimes called a knowledge inventory "knowing what you know".

5. Link to Management Processes.Make sure that key decision and business process are supported with high leverage information. Assess each process for its information needs.

6. Systematic scanning.Systematically scan your business environment. This includes the wider environment - legal and regulatory, political, social, economic and technological - as well as the inner environment of your industry, markets, customers and competitors. Provide selective and tailored dissemination of vital signs to key executives. This goes beyond the daily abstracting service provided by many suppliers.

7. Mix hard/soft, internal/external.True patterns and insights emerge when internal and external data is juxtaposed, when hard data is evaluated against qualitative analysis. Tweak your MkIS system to do these comparisons.

7. Optimize your information purchases.You don't have to control purchasing, but most organisations do not know how much they are really spending on external information. By treating consultancy, market research, library expenses, report and databases as separate categories, many organisations are confusing media with content.

8. Introduce mining and refining processes.Good information management involves 'data mining', 'information refining' and 'knowledge editing'. You can use technology such as intelligent agents, to help, but ultimately subject matter experts are needed to repackage relevant material in a user friendly format. One useful technique is content analysis, whose methods have been developed by Trend Monitor International in their Information Refinery, and are used in our analysis services. The classifying, synthesising and refining of information combines the crafts of the information scientist, librarian, business analyst and market researcher/analyst. Yet many organisations do not integrate these disciplines.

9. Develop Appropriate Technological SystemsContinual advances in technology increase the opportunities available for competitive advantage through effective information management. In particular, intranets, groupware and other collaborative technologies make it possible for more widespread sharing and collaborative use of information. Advances in text retrieval, document management and a host of other trends in knowledge management technologies have all created new opportunities for providers and users alike.

10. Exploit technology convergence.Telecommunications, office systems, publishing, documentation are converging. Exploit this convergence through open networking, using facilities such as the World Wide Web, not just for external information dissemination but for sharing information internally.

11. Encourage a Sharing CultureInformation acquires value when turned into intelligence. Market Intelligence Systems (MkIS) are human expert-centred. Raw information needs interpretation, discussing and

analysing teams of experts, offering different perspectives. This know-how sharing is a hall-mark of successful organisations.