THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT LAUNCHES INTERNATIONAL ELECTRONIC
PUBLISHING PROGRAM

Use of electronic business information to double by 1996, Economist Group
Survey reveals

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the business information arm of the
Economist Group, is entering the electronic publishing arena with the
launch of a new range of electronic information services, "designed to
provide international executives and their staffs with timely access to
cross-border business analysis", the company announced today.

The EIU, which already services over 80% of Fortune 500 companies, has
recently set up a 'new media' division. Based in New York, EIU Electronic
Publishing will market the company's range of country, regional, industry
and management information in a variety of electronic formats -- CD-ROM,
online, direct local area network (LAN) feed, fax delivery and microform.

The EIU is extending its publishing strategy to meet the needs of a market
in which the level of business information received electronically will
double by 1996 according to a recent worldwide survey of over 400
companies, carried out for the Economist Group.

EIU Electronic Publishing is now developing its offer for the $3.5 billion
online business information market. A new service -- EIU Direct -- will
feed regularly updated EIU business information directly into customer
local or wide-area networks.

Other online initiatives will include wider availability of EIU
publications through FT Profile, M.A.I.D, Dialog and Mead Data Central,
plus customized country monitoring services delivered via Reuter Business
Briefing, Global Report and Bloomberg.

To target the $500+ million CD-ROM disc business information market, the
EIU has formed partnerships with CD-ROM industry leaders. A five-set
series of EIU regional business intelligence products in disc format has
just been released through DIALOG OnDisc, while the EIU's Country Reports,
Country Forecasts and international business newsletters will be produced
on disc with SilverPlatter Information.

'New Directions in Electronic Business Information': Economist Group Survey
results

The level of business information received electronically will double over
the next two years. Currently about 24% of business information is
received electronically by survey respondents. More than half believe that
receiving business information in an electronic format is 'important to
their organization'. Seven in ten cite the 'ability to select and
manipulate data' and 'timeliness of data' as major benefits of receiving
business information electronically.

Online will continue to be the most popular electronic format: almost
two-thirds of respondents to the Economist Group survey will use it over
the next two years.

CD-ROM -- a more recent electronic format -- is now used by one in four
respondents to access business information. That figure will almost double
over the next two years, according to the survey.

Local and wide area networks are now a source of electronically delivered
business information for a quarter of respondents -- projected to increase
to 35% by 1996.

While some forms of printed business information will decline over the next
two years, print will still account for over half of all business
information received by respondents.

Supporting technology trends: survey results

More than one in four respondents currently use CD-ROM drives. Seven in ten
plan to install CD-ROM drives within the next two years.

Audio speakers, essential for multimedia applications using sound are
currently used by just one in ten respondents: however, almost three in
ten say they will be using this form of technology in two years time.

PCs and modems are currently used by 98% and 80% of respondents,
respectively: these figures will rise to 99% and 86% by 1996.

Some 75% of management and professional staff use computers regularly:
however, this figure is higher in the Americas than in other parts of the
world.

Networks are now used by over two-fifths of respondents -- projected to
increase to over 50% within two years, according to the survey.

Groupware -- now used by just 15% of respondents -- will increase to 26%
usage in two years.

MS-DOS and Windows are the most popular operating systems and will remain
so over the next two years. MS-DOS (79%) is now used slightly more than
Windows (75%): however, in two years' time, Windows usage will rise to
80%, overtaking MS-DOS.

Commenting on the EIU's initiatives, EIU Electronic Publishing managing
director Lou Celi says: "Because of recent technological advances, we are
seeing the rise of the next generation corporate end-user, who wants to
receive business decision-support information directly on his or her PC.
The EIU will fill the gaps in the market for electronic business
intelligence on emerging markets and cross-border industrial and
competitive trends."

EIU managing director Helen Alexander says: "Electronic publishing is vital
to our industry. Market demand for an electronic-print mix is growing
fast. We are responding to that demand, without losing sight of the
overriding need for quality business information. A combination of quality
and speed of delivery will distinguish the leading players of the future
in the business information world."

Company background

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) is a leading source of global
business information services, including country, industry, financial and
management reports, customized publications and conferences, designed to
support executive decision-making in the areas of cross-border investment
and international trade. A member of the Economist Group, the EIU is an
international organization with its headquarters in London and offices in
New York, Hong Kong, Vienna, Singapore and Tokyo. EIU clients include more
than 420 of the international Fortune 500 companies.

The Economist Intelligence Unit
The Economist Building
111 West 57th Street
New York, NY 10019-2211
212-554-0600,  fax 212-586-1181/586-1182

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