Information Management

Logic bombs

These are programs activated by a specific event.

tacit, explicit

TWO TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE

Kolb (1985)

He believes that there are four stages we all go through as part of the learning cycle.

H D Clifton (1990)

He wrote that 'one man's information is another man's data', and certainly the definitions are blurred.

Hard and soft

Quantitative and qualitative. Hard information is often derived from large quantities of precise factual data, such as figures, that lends themselves to statistical analysis. Soft information, on the other hand, tends to come from few sources and depends on opinions, feelings, impressions and judgments.

Management information systems (MIS)

Supports management decisions by providing information in the form of reports and responses to queries to managers at different levels within an organization.

Management information systems (MIS), Decision support systems (DSS), Executive support systems (ESS)

THREE KINDS OF SYSTEMS IN COMMON USE:

Search engine

A force that responds to an information request by searching the Web for what it interprets as relevant material.

Executive support systems (ESS)

Also known as executive information systems, these are designed to support strategic business decisions. Although strategic decisions usually involve summarized information, there is often a need for a specific level of detail to pinpoint a particular problem.

Electronic and hard copy

At Sun Microsystems, employees receive, on average, 100 e-mails each day, but few people work in a paperless office. Most people also use conversation with others for information.

Free text search engines , Human-generated indexes , Metasearch tools , Natural language tools

Four basic types of search tool:

learning from feeling, learning by watching and listening, learning by thinking, learning by doing

Four stages we all go through as part of the learning cycle:

KNOWLEDGE

Combines information, experience and insight into a mix that is unique to every employee.

Internal and external, Electronic and hard copy, Hard and soft, Formal and informal

FORMS OF INFORMATION:

Decision support systems (DSS)

Helps managers by analyzing data from a database and providing them with the results, often in the form of statistical calculations or mathematical models.

Internal and external

Information generated inside the organization and information generated outside.

intranet

It is a network (LAN or WAN) that utilizes Internet technology.

worm

It is a program that, once established, can spread copies of itself throughout a network.

extranet

It uses Internet technology to link together intranets in different locations.

Melissa

It was an e-mailed virus that emerged from nowhere to overwhelm commercial, government and military computer systems, leading the FBI to launch the biggest Internet manhunt ever.

Operational Decisions, Tactical decisions, Strategic decisions

LEVELS OF MANAGEMENT DECISION

Viruses

Like a medical virus, these 'infect' other programs.

INFORMATIONAL GATEKEEPEERS

People who routinely collect, evaluate and disseminate information in an informal way which may have nothing to do with their job role.

INTRANETS AND EXTRANETS

The idea of getting computers to communicate with each other, either on a one-to-one basis or via a network, has been around for a long time.

Trojan horses

These are also programs that appear to be carrying out a non-malicious activity which, when activated, reveal their true destructive intent.

Strategic decisions

These are made by top management, and since they affect the organizational plans of the whole business, possibly for a number of years, they are not made very frequently.

Operational Decisions

These are the day-to-day decisions affecting the running of the organization.

Tactical decisions

These have a longer time frame (months or years) and tend to be made by middle managers who are directly involved in implementing the policies of the organization.

Formal and informal

This is worth exploring in more depth.

BOTS or intelligent agents

Which can 'learn' your requirements and scurry around the Web looking for information on your behalf.