Assignments Managing Information Flow

Multiple-Choice

1. organizationions release information through

a. Annual reports

b. News releases

c. Advertising and marketing campaigns

d. All of the above

2. Once it has been determined that information is to be released, the next question is

a. How should it be released?

b. To whom should it be released?

c. When should it be released?

d. Where will it be released?

3. The part of an information flow system that establishes the methodology for achieving your goals is

a. Information classification

b. Information strategy

c. Dissemination procedure

d. Information policies

4. A dissemination procedure in which a organization can decide for itself which information should come from which source is

a. Centralized dissemination

b. Distributed dissemination

c. Combined dissemination

d. None of the above

Matching the Columns (2)

1. Knowledge	A. Data in some sort of context.
2. Information	B. Developed to achieve goals.
3. Data	C. Establishes a methodology for achieving your goals.
4. Information flow	D. Movement of information from one point to another, over time.
5. Information strategy	E. A collection of random facts and observations.
6. Information policies	F. Valuable data and information.

Answers:

1.) F

2.) A

3.) E

4.) D

5.) B

6.) C

1. Centralized dissemination	A. A organization can decide for itself which information should come from which sources, who has the final say, and who has overall control.
2. Distributed dissemination	B. Information can be released by whichever department, division, or section, has it.
3. Combined dissemination	C. Control the flow of information.
4. Information classification	D. One department in charge of handing out all information you have.
5. Dissemination procedures	E. Decided what constituencies deserve and are entitled to different levels of treatment as well as different types and levels of information.
6. Recipient identification and classification policies	F. Decides what information should be released to whom.

Answers:

1.) D

2.) B

3.) A

4.) F

5.) C

6.) E

Summary

organizationions release information in many different ways: annual reports, organization magazines, news releases, in speeches and interviews, even through advertising and marketing campaigns. Information can also be released through legal documents involved in court actions, public records, and reports to government and regulatory agencies.

Anything that can be printed, photographed, videographed, or recorded can often be placed on a organization website, if it is information the organization is willing to release to the world.

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Test

1. ______ Systems must be in place to manage, control, and coordinate all the information that is available.

2. ______ Once it has been determined that information is to be released, the next question is: How should it be released?

3. ______ No matter what type of information is being released, in an ideal situation it would all come from – or at least be cleared through – one person.

4. ______ With large organizationions, it is always desirable to have information come from one person.

5. ______ Once you put data into some sort of context, you have knowledge.

6. ______ Goals are developed to achieve strategies.

7. ______ You may consider it prudent to look at information in terms of the amount of harm or damage it could cause you if it were used against you, but assume it won’t be.

8. ______ One advantage of centralized dissemination is that it spreads the workload.

9. ______ Once a combined dissemination system is in place, it is easier to make necessary changes than it would be to switch from centralized to distributed or distributed to centralized.

10. ______ Some problems associated with the Internet are inadequate hardware or software and inadequate training.

Answers:

1. T

2. F – To whom should it be released?

3. T

4. F – With large organizationions, it is not always possible or desirable

5. F – Information

6. F – Strategies are developed to achieve goals

7. F – You should assume it could be used against you

8. F – Advantage of distributed dissemination

9. T

10. T

Bibliography

Borgman, C. (2000). From Gutenberg to the global information infrastructure: Access to information in the networked world. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Currie, W. (2000). The global information society. New York: John Wiley.

Malhotra, Y. (2000, Summer). Knowledge management for E-project/programme purpose performance: Advancing information strategy to ‘internet time.’ Information Strategy, 16, 5-17.

Glossary

Links – It is possible to establish links from one Internet page to another so that a potential beneficiary can “click” on an item they are interested in and be taken to another page with a complete description.

Knowledge – Valuable data and information.

Information flow – The movement of information from one point to another, over time.

Information policies – Establishes the methodology for achieving your goals.

Learning Objectives

� Systems must be in place to manage, control, and coordinate all the information that is available, decide which information should not be released, and which could or should be released.

� Once it has been determined what information is to be released, the next question is: To whom should it be released? This is followed by: How should it be released?

Q&A

1. What is the difference between data, information, and knowledge?

Data is a collection of random facts and observations. Once you put data into some sort of context, you have information. Knowledge is valuable data and information. It comes from finding value in what we have observed, collected, and assembled over time, thanks to experience, training, communication, or inference – or any combination of them.

2. What items should an information flow system contain, and what is the function of each?

The requirements of an information flow system starts with an information strategy. Strategies are developed to achieve goals. Information policies establish the methodology for achieving your goals. Through information classification, it is decided what information should be released. Recipient identification and classification policies decide what information is released to whom. An acceptable use policy looks at the amount of harm or damage information could cause you if it were used against you. Dissemination storage and facilities track where the information is kept, where it comes from, who has access to it, how is it moved out, who is responsible for moving it, and what records are to be kept about information that has been released? Dissemination procedures are used to control the flow of information.

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of centralized dissemination and distributed dissemination?

The advantages of centralized dissemination are consistency of style, direct control, more accuracy, efficient use of personnel and resources, reduced risk, less need for training, and a greater sense of the “big picture.” Its disadvantages are less responsiveness, more potential for bottlenecks and delays. It can be seen as being restrictive or censoring, and soon becomes conservative about what it will release.

The advantages of distributed dissemination are that it spreads the workload, more responsive, more flexibility, more accurate and current, and individual departments “control” their own information. Its disadvantages are less efficient, less consistent, requires regular and effective liaison with other departments handing out information to prevent problems and conflicts, and has less sense of the “big picture.”

End of Module