Globalization has created a highly competitive and complex international business environment in which accurate and current information is extremely important. This is particularly true in the early stages of the decision making process such as when a company is attempting to decide which country to target.

For country selection, many companies employ a scanning technique, comparing countries on the basis of broad variables. To do this, decision makers need diverse kinds of information whose cost of acquisition can be very high, because of the range of information sources involved.

This thesis documents the execution and testing of WorldInfo, a solution to address the information needs of decision makers in international business.

WorldInfo is intended to be a commercial on-line service accessible through the World Wide Web. Revenue will be generated from payments by users for the information it provides. It addresses (and overcomes) the major problems with conventional on-line information sources and existing Internet based information resources.

The key features of the WorldInfo concept are:

• Universal access through the Internet
• Convenient, user friendly interface
• Structuring of information suited to user needs
• Guarantee of authenticity, currentness, reliability and rights of use
• Charges based entirely on information retrieved
• Usability by occasional visitors as well as members
• Choice of formats and platforms for information retrieval

A prototype was built and testing was carried out by having people with expertise in relevant fields visit the prototype on the World Wide Web and provide feedback through two questionnaires:

• an Entry Questionnaire which requested background information and details of information needs and sources used as well as the problems encountered with existing sources.
• an Exit Questionnaire which requested ratings of the prototype in terms of overall feasibility, content, usefulness, structure and navigation.

Feedback from the Entry Questionnaire confirmed the need identified by the researcher and the problems with existing information sources. Responses to the Exit Questionnaire indicated that the information structure and navigation scheme of the prototype works well and is appropriate for the intended user group. The primary area of debate was the commercial feasibility of the concept and further work needs to be done on this aspect.