Information Management

Concepts & Fundamentals

INFORMATION
 Introduction
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Individuals, companies and all organizations are

continuously capturing data, many of which are of no
significance to them.
Data are available that would afford them a better
understanding of their own environment and of
themselves.
These data – what we know as information – enable
them to make more accurate decisions.
The right amount of information at the right time is a
key factor for every organization.
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 Introduction …
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Despite the difficulties in obtaining information,

Managers need relevant information on which to
base their planning, control and decision-making
functions.

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 From Data to Information to Knowledge
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Although data and information are sometimes used
indiscriminately, they do have different meanings.
Data is associated with the operational aspects of the
business and its day-to-day running.
Data: Pure and unprocessed – facts or figures
without any added interpretation or analysis.
 Data simply exists, there is no significance beyond
its existence
OR
 are non-random symbols that represent the values
of attributes or events.
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 From Data to Information to Knowledge…
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Data can be highly significant depending on the

context.
Since it provides the raw material to build
information, it also has to be accurate.
for example
 payroll data and sales figures.

 names and addresses for a mail-merge file,

 an index to an online product database.

Such input data goes to create a data ‘set’ –

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 From Data to Information to Knowledge…
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Facts obtained through reading, observation,

calculation, measurement, etc.
o Data becomes information when it is applied to
some purpose and is adding value which has
meaning for the recipient.

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 From Data to Information to Knowledge…
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Information: A set of data transformed in a way

that it helps to reduce future uncertainty and,
Contributes to the decision-making process.
It is data transformed in a way that makes sense to
the person who receives it;
It has a real or perceived value for that person when
he or she acts or takes decisions.
The relationship between data and information is
similar to that of raw materials and the finished
product.
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 From Data to Information to Knowledge…
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Information will be meaningful insofar as it provides

useful raw material for taking a specific decision.

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 From Data to Information to Knowledge…
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For data to be transformed into information,

There must be an awareness of what the person
receiving the message will use it for,
While all managers need information, they do not all
need the same type of information.
The kind of information required will depend on a
range of factors:
 theirlevel in the hierarchy,
 the work they are carrying out,

 confidentiality,

 urgency, etc.
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 From Data to Information to Knowledge…
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The usefulness of information is a debatable point,

and
 what for one person is information, for another it
could be data.
It reduces uncertainty and affords the recipient
something he or she did not know previously.
Information is one of many company resources,
alongside
 Capital, raw materials and labor,
 No company is viable without information.

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 From Data to Information to Knowledge…
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 Information supports day-to-day business

operations
 Decision making

 And almost any function in a business firm

Although one cannot feel, smell or touch

information,
It is a critical element to any modern business

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 From Data to Information to Knowledge
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Knowledge – Information and/or data to which

expert opinion, skills and experience is added.
Awareness or familiarity gained by experience (of a
person, fact, or thing)
If knowledge is applied within the day-to-day task,
 It will lead to (positive) change in behavior.

Applying knowledge leads to wisdom (intelligence).

It has to do with:
 Insights about life,

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From Data to Information to Knowledge…
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 Moral responsibility about our self-knowledge,

and
 Mastery of our passions and pitfalls.

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 Wisdom
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The knowledge and experience needed to make

sensible decisions and judgments

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Learning Journey
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 Forms of Information
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Internal and external

Information generated inside the organization and
information generated outside.
 External intelligence and research may be
incorporated into internal reports, and
 Issues arising from internal reports may
stimulate external market research.

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 Forms of Information…
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Electronic and hard copy (paper-based),

and spoken.
Electronic: Processed and accessible through
computing technology
Hard copy:  printed version of information on
paper
Spoken: word of mouth
Most people also use conversation with others for
information.

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 Qualities of information
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Experience shows that good information should

present the following qualities:
1. Relevance: Information should increase
knowledge and
 Reduce uncertainty surrounding the problem
under consideration.
2. Accuracy: Information must be sufficiently
accurate for managers’ purposes.
3. Completeness: All the information required to
take a decision would be available;
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 Qualities of information

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4. Source trustworthiness: Information source

should have a proven track record of origin
5. Communication with the right person:
Information should reach the right level in the
organization.
 Information providers must be aware of
information needs
 This is to ensure it goes straight to where it is
required.
6. Punctuality: Good information is that which is
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 Qualities of information…

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7. Detail: Contains the minimum level of details for

effective decision making.
8. Comprehension: Understood
 Comprehension is what transforms data into
information.

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 Characteristics of information…
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1. Information Has Value: Can have value

within a given context that depends on its use or
purpose.
2. Information is Volatile: People forget
information relatively quickly
3. Value of Information Is Time Dependent:
Some information is worthless after some time
has passed.
4. Information Can be Enriched: Information
can be provided with descriptive metadata .
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 Characteristics of information…
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5. Information Can be Shared: Information, or

pieces of information, can be shared during the
execution of business processes or
 As a result of meeting legal obligations to provide
certain information to third parties.

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 Understanding information
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Many factors intervene in understanding

information:
User preferences. How the user wants the
information displayed
 Some people prefer information in graphs or
charts, while others prefer a narrative description.
Previous knowledge. Comprehension is the
result of memory in association with the received
message.

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 Understanding information …
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Environmental factors: Group pressure,

available time and
 Trust in the information system all influence
comprehension.
Language: Information is codified in signs or
messages.

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 Information Management
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Information management (IM) is:

A conscious process by which information is
gathered and
 used to assist in decision making,
 at all levels of an organization

The term ‘information management’ implies that

information is a resource that can be managed.
Information as a resource can be compared with
money as a resource.
Information comes in and goes out.
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 Information Management…
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IM is concerned with the value, quality, and use of

information to
 Aimed improving organizational performance.

The primary objective of IM is;

To ensure that the right information is available to
the right person, in the right format at the right time.

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 Information Needs
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The information needs of an organization is divided

into three categories.
1. Operational information: Information needed
to perform the day-to-day work within an
organization
2. Control information: Specific information
needed for managing an organization
3. Accountability information: Information on
how operation and control proceed within an
organization

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 Information Management Goals
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To ensure that;
Quality information is created and provided
Decisions are documented
Information is available (captured, organized,
accessible, maintained, preserved)
Information is protected in accordance with
legislation and policy requirements
Information is disposed of in accordance with
legislation and policy requirements

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 Roles & Responsibilities in Information
Management
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Manage information as a key corporate resource;

Plan the information needs of organizations;
Collect and create information to support the
program/activity and information needs;
Identify, file and organize information for quick and
easy retrieval;
Provide access to information and respect the
information, and privacy, rights of others;
Retain and dispose of information appropriately;
Protect information and the privacy rights of others;
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 Roles & Responsibilities in Information
Management…
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Comply with information policy and legal

requirements; and
Take responsibility for their performance in the
management of information

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 Information Environment
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The information environment consists of six

components:
Information strategy: Set of principles that
determine the information needs of an organization
and how to achieve it.
Information staff: IT specialists who design,
develop, train and coordinate the creation and use
of information.
Information architecture: provides a guide to
the structure and location of information within the
organization.
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 Information Environment…
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Information processes: describes how

information work gets accomplished;
 through determining information requirements,
capturing, distributing and using information.
Information politics: arises from the distribution
of the power that information bestows and the
governance modes for its management and use
Information behavior and culture: concerned
with; sharing information; handling information
overload

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 Information Environment…
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 making information engaging so that the right

people recognize and use the right information

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 Information use
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Occurs when individual selects and processes

information leading to a change in the individual’s
capacity to make sense or to take action.
Based on the information need perceived by users,
information use can be categorized as;
Enlightenment. Information is used to develop a
context or to make sense of a situation.
Instrumental. Information is used so that the
individual knows what to do and how to do it.

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 Information use…
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Factual. Information is used to determine the facts

of a phenomenon or event, to describe reality.
Confirmational. Information is used to verify
another piece of information.
Projective. Information is used to predict what is
likely to happen in the future.
Motivational. Information is used to initiate or
sustain personal involvement, in order to maintain a
particular course of action.

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 Information use…
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Personal or political. Information is used to

develop relationships; enhance status, reputation,
personal fulfillment.

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 Information use outcome
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The outcomes of information use can be regrouped

into three categories as follows:
1. Task performance – enlightenment (making sense
of a situation); instrumental (knowing what to do).
2. Self-efficacy – motivational (sustaining personal
involvement); personal (enhancing status,
reputation, personal fulfillment).
3. Social maintenance – personal or political (using
information to develop relationships, to ‘get
connected to others’).
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