Essay on Current State of Information Management Assignment
Current State of Information Management Essay
Discuss the following (one section/paragraph for each question):
1. How is information (data, use of technologies) currently managed in your organization (don’t share the name of the organization)?
2. Who ‘controls’ the information? As you know, information is power.
3. Which technologies (high level view) provide the information (data)?
4. Which Magana model (T1, T2, or T3) would best describe the how IT and IM are used in your work organization? Do you consider your organization to be “Information Centric”?
5. How do you use the data provided to you to make you more effective and impactful in your work and public service?
· Is the information helpful?
· Does it make a difference in policy, practice, results?
Solution: Current State of Information Management Assignment
In my organization, information is mainly managed using software tools and cloud storage. Data collected from the organization is organized and stored in a company database connected to cloud storage, making it easier to back up and access the data (Rainer et al., 2020). The data is secured through authentication and access control to regulate how the information is used and shared internally. There is a user access management system that controls the information that employees can access, and this varies depending on the level of each employee’s job title, with those in upper management having access to sensitive information while subordinates are limited in what they can access.
In our organization, information is controlled by different employees depending on the type and sensitivity of the information. IT professionals and data management teams have direct control over the company’s data storage systems and security tools. The IT department manages access to data, ensures it is well-managed and secure, and ensures the systems are in compliance with regulatory requirements. There is a data protection officer who works together with IT professionals to monitor the organization’s compliance with data protection requirements and legal obligations. Employees in some departments have control over data that is relevant to their roles and are responsible for ensuring it is handled ethically and securely. The marketing department has control over customer data, and human resources controls employee data.
Technologies providing information include:
Customer relationship management (CRM) deals with the collection and analysis of customer information and their interactions. Customer information, preferences, purchase behavior, and feedback data collected are processed to enhance communication and engagement with them to give them a better experience (Gupta & Agarwal, 2024).
Cloud computing is used to store, process, share, and secure organizational data and information such as financial data, documents, and customer and employee details.
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems contain all the company data such as finance, customer, employee, and other vital data. The system is implemented in various departments based on the kind of data required to support their activities (Gupta & Agarwal, 2024).
Collaboration tools are used by employees to help them communicate, share information and files, and collaborate with other employees in working on tasks.
The T2 Magana model (transformational technology) best fits my organization, showing how information technology and information management are applied. Data and technology are used to make large improvements to the business, and there is general use of data in business processes and decisions (Magana, 2018). Data is applied to enhance performance and efficiency, tailor services to consumers, and data analysis is used to make some decisions. The organization is information-centric as the organization collects data to be used in different operations and as a basis for making strategic decisions in different departments.
The information is useful as it helps understand different activities that affect the functioning of a business and its decision-making process. Since there is a lot of information available, there is a relatively low risk of uncertainty as to how specific actions will impact the company or the stakeholders (Awan et al., 2021). For instance, the evaluation of customer data enhances the organizational approaches in the provision of services through understanding product innovation, quality of services, trends, and customer needs.
The data makes a difference in policy, practice, and outcomes. Information can influence the organizational policies that enhance the services and results. It assists in making the right decisions that will ensure the organization’s practices comply with regulations, thus increasing accountability and transparency. Data obtained from feedback and performance results helps measure performance against the company’s goals, which promotes continuous improvement, enhancing customer satisfaction and organizational performance.
References
Awan, U., Shamim, S., Khan, Z., Zia, N. U., Shariq, S. M., & Khan, M. N. (2021). Big data analytics capability and decision-making: The role of data-driven insight on circular economy performance. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 168, 120766.
Gupta, A., & Agarwal, P. (2024, May). Enhancing Sales Forecasting Accuracy through Integrated Enterprise Resource Planning and Customer Relationship Management using Artificial Intelligence. In 2024 3rd International Conference on Artificial Intelligence For Internet of Things (AIIoT) (pp. 1-6). IEEE.
Magana, S. (2018, May 31). Three Domains of Educational Technology: Part II. Magana Education.
Rainer, R. K., Prince, B., Sanchez-Rodriguez, C., Splettstoesser-Hogeterp, I., & Ebrahimi, S. (2020). Introduction to information systems. John Wiley & Sons.