Publisher's Synopsis
The key principle of the information age has been the vital importance of information and the critical importance of its management to the enterprise. For almost two decades, the concept of information resource management (IRM) has been surrounded by misunderstanding. The need for the IRM construct arises from the growing importance of and expenditures for, IT in organizations. The management of information is the only area of business in which investment has consistently increased faster than economic growth. It was found that while the IRM concept evolved in three different fields with slight interface going on among them, the current view of IRM represents a convergence of perspectives. IRM, today, has three goals: to maintain a global view of corporate data, to position the chief information officer at a high level in the corporate hierarchy, and to integrate both information and the information technologies. The future success of IRM will depend upon its ability to incorporate end users into the information management framework. Managers must accomplish two tasks: first, they must ensure that IT pays its way, and second, they must ensure that IT investments are targeted appropriately. This understanding will help these managers perform the tasks above. Consequently, managers and researchers need a consistent, inclusive definition and operationalization that encompasses the multiple facets of the IRM construct. This volume defines the IRM construct as a comprehensive approach to planning, organizing, budgeting, directing, monitoring, and controlling the people, finding, technologies, and activities associated with acquiring, storing, processing, and distributing data to meet a business need for the benefit of the entire enterprise. Focusing on the implications innovative technologies have on the managerial and organizational aspects of information resource management, this volume provides students and practitioners with an indispensable and informative reference source.
