'n Ondersoek na die disseminasie en gebruik van inligting in Sasol as 'n nywerheidsonderneming

Abstract

Scientific and technological information (shortened to "information") disseminate to Sasol mainly from eight creators of information, for example institutes, societies , individuals, universities, etc. Information created or generated is cast in the functional roles of problem solving, current awareness and innovation. The messages, of which thirteen types were named, containing information and aligned by their functional roles, are then carried by some twenty seven channels or sources of information such as books, patents , overseas visits , etc., to the information users in Sasol. Ten categories of users were identified, namely top managers, chemical engineers, mechanical engineers, electrotechnical engineers, civil engineers, technicians, professional staff, administrative staff, supervisors and craftsmen. Although each user category attached various values to the above mentioned four components of information (creators, functions, messages and channels or sources), a generalised "Sasol pattern" could be established for each of the components in information dissemination and use. Each pattern is given in the order of diminishing importance: 1 Creators of information. (The number closest to 1 indicates importance). Table 61. Societies and associations (4 . 533), suppliers and contractors (5.010), companies and firms (5 . 124) , individuals (5. 230), senior personnel (5. 364) institutes (5 . 823) , state departments (6 . 713), universities (6 . 985).

2 Functions of information. (The number closest to · 10 indicates importance). Table 62. Problem soiving (4 . 000) , current awareness (3 . 501) , innovation (2 . 453). 3 Types of messages. (The number closest to one indicates importance) . Table 63. Procedures/methods/techniques (3 . 839) , background information (3 . 897), standards/specifications (4 . 578), laws/regulations (5 . 119), characteristics (5 . 642) , product sources (6 . 840), statistics (6 . 955), financial details (7 . 572) , processes (8 . 086) , data (on own products) (8 . 106), patents (9 . 069) , miscellaneous (9 . 371). 4 Sources and channels of information. Tables 64 , 65 and 66 list the twenty- seven sources and channels of information according to the functions of problem solving, current awareness and innovation in the groups of "most important", "important" and "less important". By accumulating the averages of each source, the following generalised profile for Sasol was compiled : colleagues (7 . 615) , own files (10 . 017) , text and study books (10 . 148), correspondence/telephone (10 . 846), gate- keeper s (10 . 924 ) , instructions and manual s (11 . 919 ), libraries (12 . 240), training facilities (12 . 368), hand books (manuals) (12 . 379), periodicals (12 . 539), lectures and papers (14 . 269) , consultants (15 . 612) , over seas visits (15 . 748) , suppliers (16 . 258), report s (16 , 292), advertising material (16 . 690), commer cial publications (16 . 835) , information and current awareness services (18 . 466) , data bases (19 . 446), government publications (19 . 606), review periodicals (20 , 260), audio- visual material (20 . 586), extract publications (21 . 060), dissertations and theses (21 . 050), general reference works (22 . 163), patents (23 . 113), financial year books and reports (23 . 876). (The numbers closest to one indicates importance.) Although individual and group variations from the above profiles will occur, these variations can be used as a guide for improving library and information management systems.