Information resources

A resource is a specific amount of tangible or intangible goods acquired for use in the future. Thus, information resources are a certain amount of information in the possession of the company and its employees, used for work and making strategic decisions. Resources other than the information itself can also include intangible assets such as knowledge, reputation, abilities and material goods: machines and cash.

Currently, the use of knowledge and information has become so common that one can speak about the development of the information society. Such a society focuses on the collection, production, dissemination and use of information so that it can be applied to the development of humanity. In the information society, everything comes down to creating knowledge and using it based on the information you have.

Features of information

Each information is characterized by specific features. P. Dziekański includes among others these features:

• accuracy;
• reliability,
• topicality,
• Utility
• complementarity,
• relevance,
• punctuality.

Information resources

The company's information resources can be divided into two groups. They are visible and invisible resources (material, non-material). Information resources include, among others: patents or licenses. The second group is invisible resources that can not be estimated and can not be legally protected. These include the abilities of individual employees, their knowledge and the organizational culture of the company.

Information resources can be strategic resources of a given enterprise. This means that they are used to gain an advantage over the competition on the market. Very often, attention is paid to the fact that enterprises should strive to create an information strategy that will synchronize the company's operations in many dimensions. For this to happen, however, it is necessary to match the strategy of action on three levels, such as:

• information management,
• information system,
• information technology.

An important issue in planning an information strategy in an enterprise becomes the distinction of such concepts as: data, information, knowledge and wisdom. It is worth noting that the data set is not synonymous with having information, whereas having information is not synonymous with knowledge. In order for the information to be transformed into knowledge and then used for strategic planning and proper management of information in the company, analysis is necessary. The available data should be processed and interpreted, taking into account any interrelations between them. Next, information already possessed in connection with the knowledge and experience acquired by people influences the possession of knowledge about a given topic.

In order to organize business processes well and efficiently, it is necessary to integrate information systems. One of the most popular models says that in order to successfully integrate all enterprise systems, it is necessary to integrate integration systems on three levels:

• physical integration,
• application integration;
• business integration.

Information resources management

Information resource management is a set of activities that creates and defines the structure of a given company and the principles of its operation. It is about the information and communication structure in a given company and the relationships between them. In order to manage and run a company well, it is necessary to realize that the key to such success is the ability to manage the information you have. Resource management applies not only to one level but to all three levels of decision making in an enterprise. I am talking here about the operational, tactical and strategic level. The tasks of information management include, among others:

• planning the development of information management systems,
• controlling the flow of information,
• introducing and controlling new systems,
• ensuring the security of information resources in the enterprise.

Resource protection

Each information resource owned by the company should be protected. Mainly due to strategic properties and an advantage over the competition. Protection covers both internal and external threats. The most important and the most protected information in the company are:

• information (paper, electronic, databases),
• software used in the company,
• buildings, company devices such as telephones, computers, servers,
• employees,
• intangible goods.

Information resources — recommended articles

Development of resources — Knowledge management system — Resources and capabilities — Area manager — Relevant information — Technological factors affecting business — Strategic capabilities — Information security policy — Business capabilities

References

• Smith, A. G. (1997). Testing the surf: criteria for evaluating Internet information resources. Public Access-Computer Systems Review, 8(3).
• Jonscher, C. (1983). Information resources and economic productivity. Information economics and policy, 1(1), 13-35.
• Basch, E. M., Thaler, H. T., Shi, W., Yakren, S., & Schrag, D. (2004). Use of information resources by patients with cancer and their companions. Cancer: Interdisciplinary International Journal of the American Cancer Society, 100(11), 2476-2483.