Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Note
The first recorded pay-per-click business activities took place in
1996 for a website called Planet Oasis. At first, the method was
viewed with suspicion, but fairly soon more than 400 companies
were paying in the range of $0.005 to $0.25 per click. Soon, larger
vendors such as Google and Microsoft were also offering pay-per-
click services.
A number of vendors of products and services have agreed to provide a small
percentage of sales to various charities through Freelanthropy. The toolbar and
search portal make it easy to direct customers to these vendors.
Freelanthropy's site is not without a few technical problems. One user com-
plained that his browser was hijacked and kept returning to the site. But since that
complaint seemed unique, it was probably some form of technical glitch and not
an intended diversion.
Global Insight
Global Insight is also a niche player, but it is a major figure in a very important
niche. Global Insight is the world's largest commercial economic-study organiza-
tion, with a staff of more than 700 and a client base of more than 3,800 organiza-
tions. Global Insight uses computers and software as an integral part of both data
acquisition and data distribution.
The founder and President was Dr. Joseph Kasputys in Lexington, Massachu-
setts. Global Insight was formed in 2001 by a complex merger of a number of
formerly independent companies: Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates,
Data Resources Inc., Primark Decision Services, and others. Global Insight is now
a subsidiary of IHS, formerly Information Handling Services. Global Insight also
acquired a number of companies.
The Hoovers Business Guide reports that Global Insight has data from more
than 200 companies and 170 industries. The company has 25 offices in a dozen
countries. One well-known client is Wal-Mart. Global Insight developed its new
ad slogan of “Save Money, Live Better,” which replaced the older ad “Always
Low Prices.”
This company provides consulting and data to probably a majority of U.S. For-
tune 500 companies and many global companies as well. The parent company of
IHS is also an interesting niche company in the information-gathering business.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search