New managing director aims for pole position in the European market for sci-tech information and services, with partnerships expanded and new business areas created
Sabine Brunger-Weilandt, who took over as managing director of Fiz Karlsruhe on 1 May 2003, intends to establish the German service institution as the premier supplier of sci-tech information and services in Germany and Europe.
Outlining her strategy in advance of the Online Information exhibition 2003, to be held in London in early December, Brunger-Weilandt comments: "With high-quality content, user-friendly interfaces, and tools designed to increase the efficiency of searches in our online databases, Fiz Karlsruhe offers a highly attractive range of services that meet both market and customer needs.
We also help customers make the most of the retrieved information, providing them with powerful post-processing tools, as well as customised solutions for information management and knowledge transfer." To achieve her goal Brunger-Weilandt has set the organisation six strategic imperatives: to continue developing existing core business areas; to develop new business areas and fields of activity by offering customised services to clearly defined customer groups; to establish a new research department; to forge new national and international cooperative ventures and strategic partnerships; to acquire new customer groups and develop new markets; and to intensify and strengthen existing customer relationships.
Future development will build on Fiz Karlsruhe's core competencies.
The main pillar of the strategic policy is the online service STN International.
STN customers, therefore, will continue to receive optimum support into the future.
STN, the world's leading online service for sci-tech information, is supported by numerous national and international partnerships with prominent database producers and suppliers of full-text documents.
Brunger-Weiland intends to strengthen this network.
As a marketing specialist, she believes that strategic partnerships, and a consistent focus on market and customer requirements, are the best way of building on Fiz Karlsruhe's competitive position in the international market.
Additionally, it is intended to position Fiz Karlsruhe as a service partner to scientific communities.
To this end new products and services are being developed, in partnership with academic institutions and research institutes.
Among other things, work is underway to develop subject-related, customised sci-tech information solutions for information, knowledge and publication management.
This will see the creation of new E-science business activities within Fiz Karlsruhe.
The organisation will continue to participate in national projects in this area and intensify its related activities.
The existing IT services business segment will also extend its range of activities by developing and hosting online databases as 'private files' with specialised search functions.
In addition, Fiz Karlsruhe plans to develop standardised eBusiness modules for small and medium-sized publishing houses who require customised solutions.
The new research department will concentrate on strengthening and enhancing Fiz Karlsruhe's innovative capabilities, and improving the quality assurance of its products.
It will also undertake core research in the field of sci-tech information, and will actively cooperate with the scientific community to the same end.
"We offer a wide range of sophisticated, upgradeable products and services", Brunger-Weilandt concludes.
"A particular advantage of FIZ Karlsruhe is that, being an independent platform, we are able to supply our customers with products from competing information providers - as well as providing innovative value-added solutions and excellent service."
