Policy and Strategy - The Challenge of Information Management.

Authors Avatar

Policy and Strategy

 

The Challenge of Information Management

A few decades ago, businesses would tend to have one mainframe computer to process data for payroll, stock etc.  Nowadays, businesses have company-wide intranets that are available to everyone, not just IT professionals.  Even customers can use the system through cashpoints, touch screens or the Internet.

Information is different from other resources.  It is not depleted when used.  It is not normally possible to claim exclusive "ownership" of information (it is usually a shared resource).

Management may want to formulate an "information management policy" that will help them manage computing resources to maximise the benefits of information.

 

Consistency with Business Priorities

A company's information system strategy should be linked to its business plan.  A method called CSF (Critical Success Factors) encourages senior executives to identify the company's primary goals.  They will then identify performance indicators for each of the CSFs and they should make sure that the systems are in place to collect and use this information.

Join now!

A typical example of a CSF could include:

  • Improving customer service
  • Improving relationships with suppliers
  • Holding the right stock, at the right time, in the right quantity
  • Using human resources efficiently

What performance indicators would be used to measure these CSFs?

 

Centralisation and Decentralisation

Systems analysts, programmers and data entry clerks are obviously all computer users but they are distinct from the "end-users" who are the ultimate consumers of computer processing and information.

Three types of information system are:

  • Transaction Processing Systems (used by clerical workers, sales people and customers)
  • ...

This is a preview of the whole essay