Page 8 - Information Management 3rd Edition

Information Management
The information function in a business is responsible for the orderly collection, processing, storing and distributing of information to decision-makers and managers within the business, as well as other role players outside the business, to enable them to execute their tasks. The services rendered by this function to all the other functions (such as marketing, operations, purchasing, human resources, financial and public relations) encompass the supporting functions that are responsible for satisfying all the information requirements of a business. In earlier years, information management had a limited scope. The primary role of earlier information managers was to supervise employees who performed office or information tasks. Information management was not implemented as a separate business function as it is today in many larger businesses.
The information manager, whose authority and responsibility is delegated by top maPnagement, ris the eperson res-ponsibple for ensuring that bthe information activities (which are supportive functions) run smoothly and contribute to the effective management of the business. The nature and responsibilities of information managers in different businesses, as well as their job titles, differ quite a lot. Among these titles we find the following: information office manager, information manager, office administrator, office support manager and director of administration or information services.
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they must have usable information in order to make good decisions. No business can be managed without timely, relevant and accurate information. Managers not only need data, but information to make decisions.
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Data refers to facts (words and numbers) about objects, people and events. Data also refers to unprocessed material that can be seen as potential information. Data is generally used by machines and is useless, unless it is processed to create information.
Information refers to data that has been converted or processed into meaningful copy
and useful context for specific end users at a specific point in time for a specific purpose and is presented in a specific format. Information is used by managers to initiate actions, make decisions and manage their sections.
An information system is a group or set of people, procedures and resources that collect, transform and distribute information in a business. There are manual (paper and pencil), informal (oral) and computer-based (using information technology) information systems.
Today, the information function depends more on technology and technologically oriented applications and processes than ever before. This situation is making vast amounts of information available to the business. A few years ago, businesses lacked information, which caused some problems in terms of making proper decisions. Today, so much information is available and all the information businesses need exists somewhere in their systems. The problem now is to find the desired information as soon as it becomes available. To cope with this dilemma, software has been and is being developed to allow businesses to integrate a diverse array of functions. These systems assist managers in the decision-making processes.
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