ABSTRACT
In the usual market context, a product (service) is the object of economic choice and consumption. The use-value of such objects depends on three factors: the characteristics of the product (and associated services), the characteristics of the user, and the conditions under which it must be used. When scientific and technical information (STI) is being considered in a product context, it is tempting to minimize the relevance of purposeful discovery and design. The time phases of industrial product development provide a useful frame of reference for comparing the STI product environment to that found in industry. Within each of these phases, important similarities and differences can be readily observed. The chapter describes some important characteristics of STI. It discusses the dysfunctional results of accepting the passive approach to product management and the promise of adopting a product management approach to STI.
