October Research Helpline (cont'd):

* Medtronic will buy Biophan Technologies' MRI safety patents for $11 million in cash.

Interesting facts, no doubt, but what do they mean?  If you've got the right experience and point of view, facts become findings.  When pieced together with other information and experiences into a "mosaic", it provides insights and intelligence you can make more informed decisions.

It's this "information of interest" for present and future operations that is requested and retrieved and reported on by researchers.

A priority for intelligence gathering and analysis is to deliver a product that adds context and meaning to the raw data and information located.  More often this is the substance that is expected and delivered in the custom research practice.  By doing so, the client receives information that is relevant and meaningful - and not just informative.  Relevance is the key because the information requested is provided to enable decision makers to serve organizational purposes such as:

* Predict future developments and explain implications to decision makers. 

* Make data more meaningful and provide guidance to those considering goals and alternative means to achieve them.

* Provide warnings of major developments, events, trends and assessments to avoid unpleasant surprises.

* Pieces of current information on specialized topics of concern to decision makers.

These purposes are not reserved for "big brand name companies" anymore. 

New product development, monitoring competitors' activities, analyzing win/loss scenarios to increase sales, building profiles of competitors including executives and key line personnel, determination of potential actions or initiatives that could be taken and other systematic scanning and information-gathering is almost common for busineses of all size today. 

Some practical sites to use for your own investigations of companies, starting with their mission statements:

* 10K wizard -- www.10kwizard.com

* FreeEDGAR -- www.FreeEDGAR.com

* US Securities & Exchange Commission -- www.sec.gov

* Business Week Online -- www.pda.businessweek.com

* vFinance -- www.vFinance.com

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In the last month, Halpern Info Services has conducted research in the following industries and areas of interest: healthcare, market research industry, beverages, IPTV, wireless technologies. If you need information of interest for present or future operations, contact richard@halperninfoservices.com, or call 508.346.3225 for Richard Halpern.