Figure 7-2: four types of information:
internal
Document-based
Record-based
external
Structure of information
Source of information
internal
Internal changes Allows companies to bring internal data
and information together from far-flung files and databases and makes them available company-wide.
Gives employees access to far more corporate data and information than they ever had before.
The ability to handle and transmit media increases the variety of information formats and content.
External Changes
The availability of external data has exploded with the internet.
The inherent structure of the information resources that need to be managed has broaden considerably: Data warehouses store large amounts of data to be
analyzed with data mining techniques to support decision making for applications such as CRM.
Less structured concept-based information is becoming dominant.
Knowledge Management is becoming a key to exploiting the intellectual assets of an organization.
Structure of Information
Record-based contains primary facts about entities such as individual employees, customers, parts, or transactions. Well structured data records are used for
holding a set of attributes that describe each entity.
Document-based information pertains primarily to concepts, ideas, thoughts and opinions. Less structured documents or messages
with a variety of forms.
Figure 7.1: Difference in Structure:
Data Records DocumentsItem of Interest entity concept or ideaAttribute of Item field set of symbolsAll attributes of Item records record logical paragraphAll related Items file documentA Group of Related Files database file cabinetA Collection of Databases application- library, record center
system“Data Model” hierarchical, relational(representational approaches)
Figure 7-2: four types of information:
TraditionalEDP/MIS
Public databases
Word processing management
Corporate library web sites
Record-based
Document-based
externalinternal
Structure of information
Source of information
Management Corporate Data Records
The Problem: Inconsistent Data Definitions
Incompatible data definitions
Why is this hard for management?
What if IT department were managing data?
Management Corporate Data Records The Role of Data Administration
Clean Up Data Definitions
Control Shared Data
Manage Data Distribution
Maintain Data Quality
Management Corporate Data Records
The Importance of Data Dictionaries
Main purpose of data dictionaries
When should data dictionaries be considered?
Managing Information
Information – intermediary for action
Info Managing issues Value issues Usage issues Sharing issues
Value Issues
Information’s value is contextual Tools used to increase value of info
by firms Information maps Information guides Business documents Groupware
Usage Issues
Information is inherently messy and therefore its complexity needs to be preserved
It is not easily shared Organizational culture blocks sharing
Technology does not change culture
Sharing Issues
A sharing culture must be in place Technical solutions do not address the
sharing issue Info architecture have failed because
they do not take into account how people actually use the information
Working out info issues requires addressing entrenched attitudes about organizational control
Sharing Issues (cont’d)
Sharing information is not good in all cases
Limits are necessary Hiring practices play a role
Sharing ideas needs to be rewarded (e.g. promotion) for a sharing environment to exist
Managing Data
Four Data Models
Three Levels of Managing Data
Distributing DataTwelve Rules for Distributing DataData Warehouse
Managing Data
Logical or enterprise data: DBMS
Level 1:
Level 2:
Level 3:
External, conceptual, local level, user view
Physical or storage level, data records
Four Data Models
Hierarchical: Parent/Child Relationship
Network: each data item more than one parent
Relational: create relationships on the fly
Object: Data, methods, and attributes
Distributing Data
Data definition language: creating tables, creating indexes to data, and defining fields of data
Data manipulation language: for entering data into a database and accessing and formatting the data
Standard Query Language: SQL
Data control language: for handling security functions
12 Rules for Distributed Database
Local autonomy No reliance on
central site Continuous
Operation Location
independence Fragmentation
independence Replication
independence
Distributed Query Distributed
Transaction Hardware
independence OS independence Network
independence Database
independence
Data Warehouse
Database that contains data from many sources, including operational sources.
Repository of Metadata
Data is “cleaned” and formatted to a common structure
OLAP: Online Analytical Processing
Figure 7.9: Information Management is different from Knowledge Management.
Information Management:
1)Emphasizes delivery and accessibility of content.
2)Has heavy technology focus.
3)Assumes information capture can be standardized and automated.
Knowledge Management:
1)Emphasizes added value to content by filtering, synthesizing, interpreting, and adding context.
2)Balances focus between technology and culture or work practice.
3)Requires ongoing human input and links to communication.
The term management brings to mind having control over something, and knowledge cannot be control.
It can only be leveraged through process and culture.
The more people are connected and exchange ideas, the more knowledge can spread and be leveraged.
•Many feel that the term “ Knowledge Management” creates the wrong impression.
Several companies have stopped using the term Knowledge Management and replaced it with the term Knowledge Sharing.