HKU Faculty of Education1 Enterprise information policy Seminars 4-5 BSIM0003 Information Policy

HKU Faculty of Education 1

Enterprise information policy

Seminars 4-5

BSIM0003 Information Policy


Content

• The rationale for enterprise information policy

• Major uses of information in organisations• Enterprise information policy

– Why does an organisation need an information policy?

– What information policies does it need?• Enterprise information strategy• Organisational health check


Rationale for enterprise information policies

Information has become the most important factor of production & wealth creation in the information society. The ability of individuals & organisations to effectively use information will ultimately decide their ability to generate economic growth & enhance quality of life for all

In the private sector, information will be the basis of competitive advantage


Uses of information & ICT in organisations

• Planning• Decision making• Changing internal communication patterns• New product development• Cost reduction• Changing client relationships• Changing distribution channels• Improving marketing• etc

Middleton, 2002


Information & competitive advantage

Enterprise knowledge

Competitive advantage

Codified knowledge as % of total knowledge of key competitors

Tacit knowledge as % of total enterprise

knowledge

1 High Low High2 High High High3 Low High Low4 Low Low None

Tiwana, 2000



‘An enterprises information policy should be the primary vehicle for planning the utilisation & development of information & knowledge. It has to framed within the context of the institution’s overall mission & objectives’

Middleton, 2002


Enterprise information policy : Contextual factors

• Organisational culture & management milieu

• Potential for ICT to support knowledge sharing & information distribution

• External factors relating to competitors & customers

• Political & legal requirements & influences

• Potential opportunities requiring information support


An enterprise information policy defines :

1. Objectives of information use in the enterprise

2. Priorities among them3. Technology for information

management4. Systems for information management;

who manages them & their responsibilities



4. Enterprise’s sources of information & its resources for managing them

5. Criteria for monitoring information activities

Orna, 1999



An information policy is a dynamic tool which can be used to :

1. Relate everything that is done with information to the enterprise’s overall objectives

2. Enable effective decisions on resource allocation



3. Promote interaction, communication & mutual support between all parts of the enterprise & between the enterprise & its ‘customers’ or ‘public’

4. Provide objective criteria for assessing the results of information-based activities




5. Measure the performance of information & knowledge use & assess their cost-effectiveness

6. Give feedback to the process of developing the corporate policies of the enterprise


The detailed expression of information policy in terms of objectives, targets, & actions to achieve them, for a defined future period

Information strategy provides the framework for the management of information

Information policy strategy


Information management is the application of an information policy to meet information objectives within the overall constraints of available resources. It is concerned with how:

1. Information is acquired, recorded & stored

2. Information flows through the enterprise

Information policy & IM


3. Information is used by the enterprise4. People who handle information apply

their skills & co-operate with one another

5. Information technology is used6. The budget is spent

Information policy & IM


Enterprise information policy components

Definition Identify knowledge/information required to achieve goals

Acquisition Ways of acquiring information outside the organisation & generating it within

Utilisation • Ethical use of information• Resources for

creating/maintaining information systems

• Ensuring timeliness of information delivery



Authority Identify managers of specific information resources

Communication Promote information interchange between information managers & stakeholders

Infrastructure Develop ICT & other systems to support IM & internal & external communication

Access Pursue openness of access to information inside & outside the organisation



Preservation • Safeguard current & historical information

• Ensure preservation of organisational memory

Familiarisation Provide appropriate training to staff in use of information systems etc

Evolution • Update policy definitions to keep aligned to organisation goals

• Match policy to information strategies

Orna, 1999


Enterprise information policy responsibility

Information professionals have the deepest & broadest information expertise. They should be involved at all levels of information policy creation

Management FunctionalInformation professional

Strategic Decision maker Advisor AdvisorTactical - Advisor Decision makerOperational - Advisor Decision maker


Dangers ResultsDecentralized & uncoordinated information activities

Incomplete exploitation of information; lack of awareness of information resources

Control of information by people untrained in its management; information loss, failure to find it when needed

Inappropriate information activities & products. Objectives not achieved; inadequate service to information users; missed opportunities

Innovative projects failLoss of investment; loss of competitive position; reduced market share

No or poor information policy


No or poor information policy

Dangers ResultsOver-emphasis on technology - no strategy for determining the questions which the technology is intended to solve

Technology not operating to full potential; technology inappropriate to real needs; bad use of human resources; disillusion with IT

Information scattered through the enterprise in different databases & formats

Information can’t be brought together in an integrated form for profitable use when needed


Information policy…..

Benefits ResultsIntegration of all information activities

Information can make its full contribution to enterprise objectives

Decision-making on resources for information activities can be objective, as it’s based on the enterprise’s objectives & priorities

Effective deployment of resources; long-term planning becomes possible; continuity in development of information activities promoted, & wasted investment avoided


Information policy…..

Benefits Results

Sound decisions on information-technology

IT supports information objectives; permits developments in information use; allows better use of human resources, upgrading of skills, & increased job satisfaction

Constant monitoring makes possible rapid identification of environmental change & flexible response to it

Information activities continue to be appropriate to enterprise objectives; new situations can be evaluated, & new opportunities for information use are seized


Low confidence in othersLow confidence in others

Lack of trustLack of trustLow information flow

Low information flow

Little interaction among groupsLittle interaction among groups

Poor organisational health


Good organisational health

Confidence in othersConfidence in others

RisktakingRisk

takingInformation

flow encouraged Information

flow encouraged

Interaction among groupsInteraction among groups

Feed-

back

Feed-

back

Problem solving

Problem solving


1. What are the main corporate objectives of your organization? Some organizations publicize a corporate mission statement which outline them. Do you know what they are?

2. List the main types of information that your organization must collect in order to meet its objectives & carry out its functions

Organisational health check


3. Are there any types of information that your organization should be collecting but is not?

List 3 types of information that your organization could collect which may allow it to become more responsive to its ‘customers’



4. Do you suffer from information overload? - or shortage of information?

If so, briefly describe in general terms without reference to technology, the nature of your problem – ie what does it mean you can’t do effectively?



5. Write five lines under each of the following headings to describe how your problems in Q.4 could be overcome

• The organization• Information systems• Other considerations



6. Write down the main changes that have taken place over the last 5 years to services &/or products supplied by your organization

What trends do they indicate & where could these trends lead to in another 5 years?



7. Write down 3 initiatives you should personally take to prepare yourself for the changes you think likely to occur in the next 5 years

8. Write down 3 initiatives you think your organization should take to prepare itself for the changes you think likely to occur in the next 5 years.



9. Write 5 lines under each of the following headings to describe how each could benefit through better information management:

• Teamwork• Efficiency• Effectiveness



10.The total system for collecting & distributing information throughout your organization may or may not make use of computers & digital information. Suggest 1 local improvement, not necessarily involving computers, which you can cost-justify

Wilson, 1993



Middleton, M. 2002. Information management: A consolidation of operations, analysis and strategy. Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga

Orna, E. 1999, Practical information policies. Gower, Aldershot.

Tiwana, A. 2000. The knowledge management toolkit: Practical techniques for building a knowledge management system. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River.

Wilson, D. 1993. Managing information: For continual improvement. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.

References

Documents

HKU Faculty of Education1 Enterprise information policy Seminars 4-5 BSIM0003 Information Policy