Text 6. Information Management

I nformation management (IM) is collection and management of information from one or more sources with further distribution of that information to one or more audience. Management means organisation of and control over the structure, processing and delivery of information. Throughout the 1970s it was largely limited to files, file maintenance, and the life cycle management of paper-based files, other media and records. However, with the proliferation of information technology, the job of the information management took on a new light, and began to include the field of data maintenance.

No longer was the information management a simple job that could be performed by almost anyone. As information storage shifted to electronic means, data processing demanded a deep understanding of theory and technology. As information was regularly disseminated across computer networks and other electronic means, by the late 1990s, network managers had become information managers. Those individuals found themselves faced with increasingly complex tasks, advanced hardware and sophisticated software. With the latest tools available, information management has become a powerful resource and a large expense for many organisations.

In short, information management includes organising, retrieving, acquiring and maintaining the information. Following the behavioural science theory of management, developed at Carnegie Mellon University, most of what is going on in service organisations is actually decision making and information processes. Thus, the crucial factor in the information and decision process analysis is the individual's limited ability to process information and to make decisions under these limitations.

Answer the questions:

1. What is information management?

2. What does the word “management” mean?

3. What happened with the proliferation of information technology?

4. What does the job of the information management include?

5. Why did it become necessary to have a deep understanding of theory and technology?

6. When did information management as a new profession appear?

7. What has become a powerful resource and a large expense for many organisations?

8. What does information management include?

9. What university developed the behavioural science theory of management?

10. What is the crucial factor in the information and decision process analysis?