This article tells the results of a research of Mestrado of the School of Science of the Information of the UFMG that had as objective to investigate how the managers of small and medium-size biotechnology companies, in Belo Horizonte/Minas Gerais, search and use the information concerning the companies external environment. It answers the following research questions: assuming that organizations must interact with the external environment to develop and keep its competitiveness, what is the real importance of the process of search and use of external information? Under which conditions the use of the information gathered can reduce uncertainties for small and medium-size companies? This research uses qualitative analysis based on personal interviews with some managers of biotechnology companies, especifically those companies working in the field of human health diagnosis, located in the Belo Horizonte region. The results show that different environments, scenarios and people have different needs, behaviors and different analysis and uses of information. There is no standard behaviour on the search and use of external information. The reduction of uncertainties is neither dependent on the quantity of information gathered nor on the structured processes. The reduction of uncertainty is centered on the individuals and on their personal capacity to add value to the piece of information. This piece of information can be used to answer a question, to solve a problem, to make a decision, to negotiate a position or to comprehend a situation
evironmental scanning; information use and search; small and medium-size companie and biotechnology