ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the nature of information products. It identifies examples of information products and explores the definitions and applications of the concept of core, actual and augmented products. The chapter reviews the unique features of information as a product and introduces the product lifecycle and explores the management of product portfolios. Saren and Tzokas introduce the concept of the pluri-signified product, in which 'the product is the outcome of a continuous tripartite signification process between buyers, suppliers, and the object'. Freiden argues that the unique nature of information as a product demands a new approach to marketing, which they describe as information marketing. Lawal identifies some benefits of electronic resources: electronic files are more accessible than their print counterparts and electronic archives make information available to researchers in developing countries who otherwise could not have access. The product lifecycle (PLC) model suggests that products go through a cycle comprising four stages: introduction; growth; maturity; and decline.
