Abstract:

Organisations gather and allocate information. In the process,

they also distort it. Some distortions are planned. But other times,
organisations distort data therefore it changes its meaning and
value. This paper describes the role of information within
organisation and how information is acquired and distorted within a
building firm. An information system in an organisation is analysed
in order to explore the role of information technology in terms of
organisational effectiveness.

The information has constantly emphasized the requirement

for an appropriate arrangement of information’s goals and
strategies with organisational goals and strategies. Data of notional
frameworks have been anticipated to extend the linkages between
information and organisational strategies. The role of information
can enhance the competitiveness and responsiveness of an
organisation.

Keywords

 Information management, Information System, Information

Technology, Organisation,, Information Strategy

Introduction

Data and information are used interchangeably. In general the

Oxford American Dictionary defines data as: "facts or information to
be used as a basis of discussing or deciding something." But these
terms have completely different meanings in the information
processing. Data are collection of observations, which may or may
not be true. So data may not be facts. Also in the oxford dictionary
information is defined as "facts told or discovered or facts to be fed
to a computer". But in information processing, Data develop into
information when they are processed. To process data one needs to
collect the data clean the data from errors, analyzing data to make
it significant to decision at hand, and organising data in ways that
understanding.

In this description, information is "significant data."

Information search is any focused act leading to collecting data and
processing it to become information. Data goes through many
individual steps before it becomes information, including:
achievement of data; arrangement of data; storage of data;
recovery of data, control of data; authentication of process that
formed the data; aggregation of data; theory making; description of
data; investigation of analysis assumptions; testing; option of layout
for management of data; allocation of reports; assessment of
efficiency of reports.

Information organisation is where the simple processing of

information leaves off and the useful utilization of information
begins. The reality is, a small number of organisations are
successfully managing this informational quality within their
organisations. All the way through information management, an
organisation can turn its ocean of data into useable information to
change decision-making.

The main aim of information for an organisation to transform

the companies from usual to contemporary with further flexibility
and modernization. The qualities of information have to be –
absolute, appropriate, correct, dependable, easy to use, user
targeted.

The role of information in an organisation

 Collecting information is the first stage of bringing about
individual or organizational change. Information helps to arrange
and guide managers to achievement. Managers also require being
aware of the employees information seeking behaviours. If the
employee understands perfectly the information, the perception of
the employee is understood. It is then possible to persuade the
employee to be more dynamic. Managers try to encourage workers
by informing them and serving them.

All organisations need information for a series of purposes

including;

• Planning-planning requires information of the existing

resources, possible time-scales and the probable
result under other scenarios. Information is essential
that helps decision making, and how to implement
decision taken.
• Controlling-when the plan is implemented; its real
performance must be controlled. Information is
required to asses whether it is scheduled as planned.
• Recording transaction-information about all
transaction is necessary. Reasons are: - records of
transaction can be used as data in a case of dispute,
there may be official necessity to record transaction
and operational information can be built up.
• Performance measurement-just as individual
operations need to be controlled, so generally
performance must be calculated. Comparisons
against plan are able to make.
• Decision making-strategic planning, organization
control and operational control may be seen as
hierarchy of planning and control decisions.
Strategic activities

Strategy is a long period objectives and goals and the method

by which these will be achived.strategic planning is the formulation,
valuation and choice of strategies for the purposes of preparing a
long term plan of action to achieve objectives. In an organisation the
strategic information is used to plan the objectives of the
organisation and to asses whether the objectives are being met. The
strategic information could be general productivity, the productivity
of company, upcoming market prediction, the accessibility and cost
of raising new funds, total cash needs and capital equipments
requirements.

The strategic activities in the role of information includes

• derived from both inner and outer sources

• Summarised at high stage
• Relevant to the long term
• Concerned with the entire organisation
• Often arranged on the ‘ad hoc ’ base
• Both quantities and qualitative
• Uncertain, requiring statement to be prepared

It is generally established that an organisations information

system have to maintain business and trade strategy. In some
situation an information system could have better influences and in
fact help to establish strategy.

Operational activities

Operational information is used to make sure that exact

operational responsibilities are intended and agreed as planned. In a
payroll office, for example, operational information would include
the hours worked by each employees and the rate of pay per hour.
The operational activities in the role of information includes

• Derived from inner sources

• Detailed, being the processing of raw data
• related to the instant time
• Task specific
• organized very often
• mostly quantative

The role of technology for providing information

The role of Information Technology (IT) in achieving the

organisation's goals has been a piece of standard discuss. It is
clearly seen that IT has played a vital part in progress of the notion
of organisation and continues to do this part, particularly in
organising the organisation. Even before the arrival of the Internet,
individuals and organisations collaborated and were related through
telephone, faxes and satellite communications. Organisations now
have a range of options for collaborating with one other.

The role of information technology in an organisation involves;

• high cost
• it is essential to the achievement of several organisation
• it can be used as a planned weapon
• it also have influence inner and outer stakeholder

Many organisation invest big amount of funds in IS, but not

always wisely. Two key benefits of information technology is the
ability to allocate information and the prevention of repetition-are
expected to be lost. Every IT costs should therefore it needs
approval to ensure that it enhances the general information
management. IT is an enabling technology, and it can generate
significant changes in individual businesses.

IT developments have improved the quantity of information

available to organisations. The experiences of John Nicholls Builders
Ltd, a building firm, in their effort to attain their goals during the
implementation of IT. The implementation phase of the task
concerned setting a flexible plan and timescale from the begin. The
organisation adopted a bottom up approach whereby potential users
were consulted and concerned in the procedure. Though there was
no single convenient explanation that might fit the organisations
needs, they were able to classify appropriate construction industry
software packages and combine them through progress of an
intranet and database system.

Now, there is greater management control, all departments

have better access to information, enabling them to function more
efficiently, and since projections are more precise, management can
formulate long-term strategic plans. These improvements and
developments to the business system have enhanced operational
effectiveness, revenue and productivity of the organisation.

One important thing for the IT is having secured information. An

organisation has a great deal of confidential information, like-
customers, products, research, and financial status. Mostly this
information is gathered, processed and stored on electronic
computers and transmitted across networks to other computers.
Protecting classified information is a business requirement.
Information security is the ongoing process of protecting information
and information systems, from illegal access, use, disclosure,
destruction, modification, distribution.
Conclusion

The organisation can visible itself in some ways. The

organisation should have the information which is up to date.
Information should be more eagerly obtainable for organisation. The
information makes suitable and effective decision for planning,
directing and controlling the performance of the organisation. Also
the time has come to take information security seriously.
Organisations that move from an unprepared, fire-fighting approach
to protection. It makes the organisations cost-efficient, quality-
conscious, and risk-management focused will attain better profit and
decrease costs.

Organisation frequently uses information technology in order

to achieve goals and modernizes the organisation. Information
technology is a central construct around which the organisations are
built. All organisations are organised practically, but the actual
benefits of organisations are achieved only when it enhance the
competitiveness and responsiveness of an organisation.

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