Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology Discipline Formation in Information Management: Case Study of Scientific and Technological Information Services

Discipline formation in information management is investigated through a case study of the origination and development of information services for scientific and technical information in Australia. Particular reference is made to a case of AESIS, a national geoscience, minerals and petroleum reference database coordinated by the Australian Mineral Foundation. This study provided a model for consideration of similar services and their contribution to the discipline. The perspective adopted is to consider information management at operational, analytical and strategic levels. Political and financial influences are considered along with analysis of scope, performance and quality control. Factors that influenced the creation, transitions, and abeyance of the service are examined, and some conclusions are drawn about an information management discipline being exemplified by such services.