There can be many advantages to Exploiting Corporate Information Assets (ECIA), as the concept of information usage touches every operational aspect of the organisation. In theory, therefore, it is possible to feed captured information back into processes at almost any point in order to make them more informed and intelligent. Obvious examples of benefits include the ability to learn more rapidly from mistakes, react more dynamically to shifts in the market, and increase productivity in areas such as collaborative development of new products and services. The value proposition for an ECIA information strategy will certainly vary from organisation to organisation, and one of the intentions of this Report is to provoke thought on which operational areas would benefit the most from such an initiative.

It is important to recognise that ECIA is mainly about using what the organisation already has in a more effective way, so this is not a Report about buying new technologies or systems. Instead, it encourages and supports more strategic initiatives involving existing resources, in order to improve the returns on investment from what the organisation is already using.

As a Composite Butler Group Report, ECIA presents material from the whole range of Butler Group Research, conveniently presented in a single volume, which covers all aspects of developing, implementing, and improving an ECIA strategy.