'Unlocking the promise of the world's research' by Marketecture for Reed Elsevier/ SciVal

About the client company

• Part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, Elsevier B.V. is a world leading publisher of scienceand health information employing 7,000+ people, across 24 countries with revenues of £6 billion.
• The Elsevier name has been synonymous with prestigious literature works - including Galileo - since its origins as a small Dutch publishing house in 1580.
• Today, Elsevier has evolved from publishing academic journals such as The Lancet and Gray's Anatomy, to developing web-based tools that address the complex problems shaping the scientific research landscape.

Strategy
Executives in academic research departments are facing new challenges and access to reliable research intelligence now plays a critical role in scientific discovery and funding.

Elsevier identified that its postion as a content provider was being challenged by new market entrants with aggressive pricing strategies, and even offering content for free. To address this, and an increasing trend for multidisciplinary research and collaboration, Elsevier revisited its strategy and set about the launch of SciVal Spotlight in FY09. As the first in a series of new 'tools' to be promoted under the SciVal brand, Spotlight allows research institutions to view and analyse the structure of science at global level. This effective online interface provides insights that assist strategy, collaboration, funding, recruitment and strategy decisions. But while the product was well received by focus groups, a key challenge remained - to convince 'buyers' of the business case for a six figure investment.