1 of 19 how to invest in information for development an introduction imark how to invest in...
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1 of 19How to invest in Information for DevelopmentAn Introduction
IMARK How to invest in Information for Development
An Introduction
© FAO 2005
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Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives
• identify some significant areas of change in your information environment;
• be aware of several information activities especially requiring effective decisions.
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IntroductionIntroduction
This question is the focus of our examination of the information management environment.
How to invest in information for development?
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As a manager, you deal on a daily basis with information-related issues:
IntroductionIntroduction
Audience(s) needs
Effective dissemination
Resources availability
Coordination of activities
Flexibility to adapt to the new information environment
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IntroductionIntroduction
The information environment is constantly changing.Here are some examples:
Investments in information must take into account these changes.
…we need to explore new ways to promote two-way information flows using
digital technologies...
…we need to explore new ways to promote two-way information flows using
digital technologies...
... the information environment is more
crowded than before…now we have to define our
role more carefully...
... the information environment is more
crowded than before…now we have to define our
role more carefully...
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We can think about these changes under two main categories:
Significant changes to the information environmentSignificant changes to the information environment
Changes in INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
Changes inINFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
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Changes in information managementChanges in information management
A significant change in information management:
the increase in the quantity of information on agricultural development
The principal components of this increase are:
The growing number of academically oriented journals
(printed and digital) and books
Information made available through electronic means,
particularly the world wide web.
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Changes in information technologyChanges in information technology
Changes in information technology open up new opportunities as well as new issues, such as:
The ways you acquire, process and disseminate informationThe ways you acquire, process and disseminate information
How other organizations use information technologyHow other organizations use information technology
The technologies your audience(s) have access toThe technologies your audience(s) have access to
The durability of investments in information technologyThe durability of investments in information technology
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Management and changeManagement and change
These changes affect significantly the key areas below:
PEOPLEPEOPLE
ORGANIZATIONORGANIZATION
TECHNOLOGYTECHNOLOGY
CONTENTCONTENT
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Making effective choicesMaking effective choices
How can you develop your organization’s information-related activities to meet these changes?
The challenge will be to choose in which of the many possibilities to invest.
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A common scenarioA common scenario
Let’s see what kind of issues a manager in an agricultural organization might face during his daily activities.
Mr. Kibaka is Director of the Information Division at the Ministry of Agriculture.
He has been asked to lead a project to develop the information activities of the Ministry’s local offices.
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A common scenarioA common scenario
These are the main categories of activities that he must consider:
Strategic planning
Information access
Information dissemination
Organization and Management
Evaluation
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A common scenarioA common scenario
....we should find a way to plan, and coordinate all the information-related activities...and to guide staff and other stakeholders in managing them...
Concerning strategic planning, he says:
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A common scenarioA common scenario
and about Information Access, his staff raises numerous issues:
It has become difficult for anyone to keep track of all information of
relevance to a particular
agricultural issue…
It is hard to assess the quality of much of this information..
There is more scientific
literature, in paper or
electronic format, but prices have risen too high!!
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A common scenarioA common scenario
Another member of staff identifies a further area of concern:
...we also need to look at the way we currently disseminate the information we produce...... the technologies used by some of our audiences have changed, and the media we use now for dissemination might not be appropriate anymore...
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A common scenarioA common scenario
Then Mr Kibaka considers the way the organization is currently working.
….we need to identify the key activities and the necessary resources….and we need to think about options for motivating and retaining skilled staff ...
How is Mr. Kibaka going to assign responsibilities and motivate staff?
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A common scenarioA common scenario
...and we need to keep in mind evaluation...It will be important to find ways to assess if the outcome of our activities match our intended objectives....
Finally, Mr. Kibaka considers one more issue:
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INFORMATION STRATEGY
INFORMATION ACCESS
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION
ORGANIZATION & MANAGEMENT
EVALUATION OF AN INFORMATION PROJECT
ConclusionsConclusions
It is important to conduct an analysis of these activities in order to make effective investments in information for development.
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The main changes to the broad information environment include: -changes in information management;-changes in information technology.
These changes will especially affect four key areas, both in the internal and external environment: People, Content, Technology, Organization.
As a manager, you have to make effective decisions in those key areas, and also in the following activities: Information Strategy, Access, Dissemination, Organization and Management, Evaluation.
SummarySummary