The increase in information within companies is exponential and getting it to the right person effectively and efficiently represents a rigorous task, so the use of information and communication systems help manage information as a raw material. To use it in decision-making processes and strategy planning, but to achieve results that benefit the organization, the information and communication systems must be audited to ensure their harmony with the organizational objectives.
Key words: Audit, communication, issuer, information, receiver.
Introduction
Human capacity is limited, causing only a part of the volume of information to become knowledge, for this reason the need to obtain it is shown mainly in the performance of administrative tasks at the management level, such as formulation, communication to each member of the tasks to be carried out in order, the control and evaluation of the organizational strategy, so that information management is a critical resource, which has the ability to decide the direction of the organization, so as to limit the volume of information represents a saving in time and costs.
According to the above, information stands out as a very important resource within organizations, since it is the raw material of decision-making processes, design of plans, strategies and control of activities, originates from a set of data previously treated to give them meaning, in order to convey a useful message that helps reduce the uncertainty of the future. Data is constantly collected through the reading, observation, calculations, measurement, etc., of a specific fact or facts.
Managers are responsible for dealing with situations within organizations, but this work is done based on available and accessible information, therefore, they must be able to define the type of information they need to obtain, since all the decisions made in organizations are made based on some type of information, but without having absolute knowledge because it means a very high cost to obtain it or due to the availability at the time of decision-making, however, the information used within the The decision-making process, despite not being absolute, is relevant enough to achieve the objective.
Since information is the product of significantly transformed data, its value depends on the person receiving it, since the message received is in relation to the interpretation of the receiving person, therefore, information will be considered significant when it is useful as a raw material in decision-making processes.
The message that the information transmits will only be significant if its meaning is understood by the receiver, for which it is necessary to comply with certain requirements of use, training, position in the organization and language, in this way, the type of information required depends of various organizational factors such as the hierarchical level of the recipient, the work being done, confidentiality, urgency, etc. In summary, the transfer of information depends on the organizational level of the person requesting it, since the data that is very useful for one level, for another could not mean anything.From the information, the receiver's knowledge and understanding of data is generated in order to reduce the uncertainty about a fact and use it as a resource in deterministic processes of the organization's direction, so that without effective information there is no company viable.
As a product of a process, the information represents a cost for companies, which can be estimated based on:
- The content of the information required. The speed with which the information is required. The volume of information required. The accessibility of the information.
In order to determine the value of the information, a comparison must be made between the cost of obtaining it and the use that can be made of it, the amount used and the benefits expected to be obtained. In this way, well-focused and elaborated information largely avoids as problems arise from uncertainty.
Within companies, for information to be considered of value, it must have the following qualities:
- Relevance: it must increase knowledge significantly and reduce uncertainty regarding the fact presented, it is a decisive quality as it is the product of collecting relevant data. Accuracy: the data presented must be in accordance with what is sought and its importance, therefore, the level of accuracy is in proportion to the importance of the decision to be made and the hierarchical level of the person requesting it. Complete: the message to report must inform about the key points of the problem being studied. Trust the source: the credibility of the source where the information was acquired must be high so that it can be considered, likewise the use of various sources increases confidence in the information. Communicate with the right person: the person in charge of supplying, must know the information needs to effectively get it to where it is required. Punctuality: good information is that which is communicated at the time it is going to be used. Detail: the information must have the minimum amount of detail for it to be effective in its use, this level is influenced by the organizational level from which the information is being requested. Compression: it must be understood by the receiver in order to add value to the process in which it is being used, so it must be manipulated by factors such as user preferences, prior knowledge, environmental factors and languages, in order to effectively transmit the message to your receiver.
The set of all these characteristics makes the information received by a person useful and of high value, causing it to become an essential and strategic resource, which can be obtained from multiple sources (internal and external).
Much of the data captured by information systems includes the operation of the organization, contributing to the generation of internal information, but on the other hand, information related to the environment of the organization is also collected, since a company only succeeds if it is capable of adapt to the demand of your external environment, depending on the group from which the information is obtained, may come from:
- ClientsDistributorsCompetitorsSuppliersUnionsActionistsFinancial institutionsGovernmentCollaborators
The corporate must be continuously informed about each of these groups, since the information generated moves from one to the other through the same organization.
Information system
It is well known that companies behave as a system and therefore it is possible to fragment it into subsystems. The information system is a system that relates to all the others that make up the organization, its objective is to capture the information required by the same organization and provide it at the same time with the necessary transformations for those members who require it and thus add value to the processes that are being executed, for this reason the performance of a manager depends on his ability to explore the capabilities of information systems to obtain favorable results.
Formally, the information system "is the formal set of processes that operating on a collection of data structured according to the needs of a company, collects, prepares and distributes the information necessary for the operation of said company and for the activities of direction and corresponding control, supported, at least in part, by the decision-making processes necessary to carry out the business functions of the company in accordance with its strategy ”(Andreu, Ricart and Valor, 1991, cited Introduction to the management of information systems in the company, 2011). Although this definition only recognizes formal information, information systems are able to recognize the limitation of informal information as a provider of chance information.The information system must be at the service of the company's business focus, as this is only one element that is designed and used to achieve the organizational objectives, so it is important that it is in tune with them.
In order to clarify what an information system represents, a distinction must be made with computer systems, since there is usually confusion between these two. On the one hand, the computer system consists exclusively of the interconnection of hardware and software components so that through an algorithm with a given input always gets the same output, in contrast, information systems are social systems whose behavior is influenced by the objectives, values, beliefs, etc., of individuals and organization, as well as use of technology.
Companies cannot be run efficiently and effectively without information systems built using information technologies, since they facilitate the management of the company and enable the search for competitive advantages, since information circulates throughout the organization as if a fluid will be treated, for formal and informal causes, and horizontally and vertically. The information system is part of the organization's structure, which manages the information flows with maximum effectiveness and efficiency to carry out the functions of a company according to its strategy. The importance of the information system is that through this it is possible to provide the necessary information, at the appropriate time and with the appropriate treaty, to those members of the company that require it,In contrast, most of the problems that arise in information systems are due to organizational, social or human aspects.
As a whole, information systems encompass various components in their structure such as:
- Computer equipment, data bases, telecommunications, human resources, procedures
Together, these components help the company carry out its tasks, so a series of functions that are carried out by an information system can be grouped into functions of data collection and collection, storage, information processing and distribution of information throughout the organization.
The objective of the information system is to manage the flow of information throughout the company, its role within the value chain model is important, since it allows data to be collected from all the activities carried out in the company to offer a product or service, in this way, the information system is part of the infrastructure, since it interacts with all the company's activities, whether basic or support.
Regardless of the type of activity in the value chain, they need and generate information, which is collected and redistributed to other activities by the information system to achieve the operation of others, thus achieving coordination between all activities in the supply chain. value, likewise, through the information system the activities of the value chain can be improved and even explored to the point of reconfiguring the value chain itself, thus the information system serves as the distribution channel and feedback of the information that allows increasing value to the processes.
Here is a video lesson to learn what an information system is, what its main characteristics are and what types exist
Organizational communication
Organizational communication is a very important element, its function includes the transmission of information (message) from a sender to a receiver, in general, the fundamental purpose of communication within corporations is to have the information for use in different processes in order to facilitate a benefit, within the managerial functions it is necessary above all to:
- Establish and disseminate organizational goals. Develop plans for their achievement. Organize human and other resources efficiently and effectively. Select, develop and evaluate the organization's employees. Lead, direct, motivate and create a climate. in which people contribute.Control performance.
Additionally, communication allows organizations to relate to their external environment by allowing the exchange of customer information, availability of suppliers, rights of shareholders, government regulations, community concerns with managers.
Illustration 1: Communication function
The communication process is made up of several elements:
- Emitter: is the source where the message to be transmitted is generated, which is encoded so that the sender and receiver can understand it. Transmission channel: the information is transmitted by a specific means known as the transmission channel, its objective is to link the sender with the receiver to deliver the message. The transmission channel depends on the type of message, but it can be through oral, written or some information technology. Using one type of channel is not a restriction to use another, so sometimes two or more channels are used, but the proper selection of these is vital for effective communication. Receiver: it is the destination source where the message must be delivered, there must be a willingness to receive it in order to decode the message and be understood, consequently, accurate communication only occurs when the sender and receiver assign the same or a similar value to the message, so a message must be specifically encoded for the receiver, that is, if the message is in a technical language, it will require a receiver to understand this language. Noise: it is a factor that negatively affects communication in any of its elements, which decreases the efficiency with which the message is delivered. Feedback: to verify the effectiveness of the communication, the feedback must be present, since this is the means by which the message is confirmed and through it some individual or organizational change can be indicated.
Illustration 2: Communication process
Various situational factors and organizations such as educational, sociological, political-legal, economic, geographical distance, time, etc., affect the communication process, generating problems in understanding information, so reducing this kind of noise is a critical task to prevent difficulties within organizations.
As we have seen, communication is a very important element for companies, but nowadays the aim is for information to flow faster, so managers' need to acquire information must be satisfied by an adapted communication system. to the needs of the organization. Within an efficient organization, its information flow runs in various directions through hierarchical levels, so that communication can take place in the following ways:
- Descending: Communication flows from the highest levels to the lowest in the organizational structure. Some means used to transfer information in this way are through instructions, speeches, meetings, telephone, speakers, even through informal communication. The downward flow of information through the different levels of the organization requires time and sometimes the message generated by senior management is not understood by those who receive it because of the same transmission channel. Upward: The flow of information ascending occurs in the opposite direction than descending, because its origin is in subordinates and it goes up to the highest levels of the organization. The communication chain in this sense can generate unfavorable circumstances to transmit the message to managers by presenting the possibility of not being able to be delivered correctly or presenting the appropriate details. Some typical means that occur in this type of communication are through requests, disputes, complaints, counseling sessions, group meetings, etc. Crusade: it is the convergence of the horizontal and diagonal flows of information through the levels, it turns out to be faster than the other flows by allowing the message to be delivered directly to the right person by being able to travel in all directions. This type of communication is usually used to accelerate the flow of information, improve compression and coordination to achieve the organizational goal.
Interrupting the flow of information is a critical problem for companies since it can cause planning and its objectives not to be met or, in a particular case, such as in the production area, reproduction represents a great cost by not taking quick action on a situation, these Problematic barriers can arise in the sender, the message transmission channel, the receiver or the feedback. Some of the barriers that can occur in the communication process interrupting the flow of information are:
- Lack of planning: before sending a message, not establishing the purpose, expressing the reasons or selecting an appropriate channel may cause the receiver to not have a correct understanding of the information. Unclear assumptions: not communicated assumptions underlying the messages that cause confusion to the receiver. Semantic distortion: the words with which the message is transmitted can mean different things to the receiver, so choosing these carefully when sending information is essential for understanding it. Poorly expressed messages: If the message is made up of poorly chosen words, relevant omissions, lack of coherence, poor organization, rare structuring, etc., it is almost impossible for the receiver to understand it. International barriers: issues such as different cultures, ethical standards or languages between the sender and receiver cause the message to be transmitted cannot be received properly Loss of transmission: the flow of information when traveling through a series of transmitters causes the message to be become less accurate about losses. Bad retention: not retaining the information of the transmitted message causes it to be forgotten, so the use of different channels to publicize the message is an effective strategy. Mistrust, threat and fear: the presence of any of these feelings generates uncertainty on the part of the receiver. Information overload: an excessive flow of information can cause various problems since people can respond in various ways such as ignoring certain information, making mistakes when processing it, delaying the processing of information, some data may leak or simply the person tends to escape the responsibility of communication. Status and power: the hierarchical level between the sender and receiver represents a difficulty in presenting distortion of information by having to go through various organizational levels.
As a way of countering these barriers and generating effective communication within organizations that allows working towards a common goal, the following suggestions help to overcome communication barriers and pave the way to improve information systems.
- Clarify the purpose of the message: The sender of the message must be clear about what he wants to communicate to the recipient, so clarifying the purpose of the message and making a plan to achieve this end helps the best understanding of who receives the information.. Use compressible encoding: the transmitted information must be encoded and decoded according to the level of knowledge of the receiver so that it can be easily understood. Consulting the views of others: gathering the opinions of others before transmitting a message helps enrich the data, the analysis of the message is more efficient and the selected channel is suitable for compression. Consider the needs of recipients: Communicating something valuable to the recipient may mean that information flows faster. Use the appropriate tone and language: in order to ensure the credibility of the information being transmitted, the issuer must control his tone of voice and choose the appropriate vocabulary to achieve interest in the information and facilitate its understanding. Obtain feedback: to end the communication process, the sender must ensure that their message has been delivered properly, so having a feedback path from the receiver ensures the accuracy of the information. Hear: in order to receive and understand the sent message efficiently, it is essential to learn to listen, therefore eliminating distractions, and concentrating on the sender allows the message to be understood, also asking questions helps to enrich the information by making the message more clear.
Audit
An audit can be considered as a type of examination that is applied to some process, mechanism, area to see its level of performance, so, in turn, also considered as a means of controlling the situation of the audited system, consequently, the audit is the process of inspection or control of any key point of the company to verify its correct operation. The audits within a company can take place in only two ways, internal or external, the first is carried out by an auditor belonging to the same company and the second, in contrast, is carried out by an independent auditor.
The objective of an audit depends on its type and the reason why it is being carried out, but regardless of its characteristics, the common objectives they pursue are:
- Know the current situation of the company in an exact way, a process, system or specific area. Provide credibility and confidence to potential investors or entities about the company. Detect the weaknesses of the company, systems, area, etc. Check the legality of products and services. Detect errors in the execution of activities. Identify if the system used is effective and efficient for the company's objective. Collect as much information as possible to make decisions that improve performance.
The importance of conducting audits within companies falls on the same objectives with which they pursue, but additionally, auditing allows us to study what is really being done, to determine if things are done well, they also allow us to measure compliance with regulations To see your level of updating and use of technologies, all these factors allow directing and making action decisions that allow greater success.
In this sense, the audit of information and communication systems are a specialization in the field of action for the functions of internal audit, their objective is to detect the existing problems of the information and communication treaty throughout the entire organization, in order to make recommendations that allow the development of a systems improvement plan according to the organization's strategy, specifically, it is about designing a specific and effective communication plan when measuring the effectiveness of communication, as well as its channels and means to achieve the objectives.
Audits of information and communication systems must maintain impartiality, focus on having good judgment and having freedom of judgment to express a result within the context of the objectives of the audit. During the execution of the audit, four elements must be covered:
- The procedures. This activity involves knowing the flow of information from the moment a data is generated until it is used, through each of the company's positions. By knowing all the procedures, a critical analysis is carried out to determine the advisability of including controls at certain points in the flow, modifying some of the existing ones, eliminating others that hinder the flow in order to improve the system. The physical assets of systems. In this area, the focus is on the integrity of the information against possible failures or malicious actions and the protection of all the system's assets, for which a risk assessment must be carried out and contingency measures must be considered. The programs. It constitutes the analysis of the programs used to process the information, either through some software or proprietary program that verifies the integrity of the data and the internal procedures on the handling of the information. The administration of the audit itself. It involves knowing the specific methodologies of techniques for the preparation and presentation of reports, conflict resolution, strategy planning and specific techniques.
With this, the communication systems audit is the starting point and the basis of any effective communication approach, since it facilitates the communication work of an organization by reviewing the effectiveness of the channels and media used to transmit the information..
How to carry out an audit?
- Set the objectives of the audit: in this step the benefits that you want to obtain through executing this in-depth analysis of the company's communication system are established. Study the environment: all the factors that surround the system and that may have affected it in one way or another must be analyzed. Social, economic, and organizational factors are some of those that intervene. Analyze the public: in order to identify the clients of the process, a list is made and the characteristics of each of them are analyzed, in order to subsequently carry out an analysis of the communication actions that each one has carried out in a concrete way. Describe all the campaigns and messages used: it is about identifying the means and the reason why messages are transferred from one place to another within the company to identify the materials, steps used and results. Inventory of communication tools: identify all the tools involved in communication to analyze the use made of them in the transmission of information. Knowing the opinion of others: knowing the opinion of the members on the communication of information, allows to open a panorama on the flow that is in the company. Draw conclusions and recommendations: a comparison with the objectives of the organization must be made, all the information obtained from the audit must be synthesized to generate a final conclusion that includes the recommendations and observations found in the information system. Planning the new strategy: through the conclusions obtained from the audit, the necessary decisions are made to define the new communication strategy that enables the organization's objectives to be obtained.
The audit of communication systems is an essential process to successfully implement any strategy, since information is a vital resource for organizations.
In the next couple of videos, Doctor Ignacio Gil Pechuán, professor at the Polytechnic University of Valencia, explains the concept of information systems auditing and what are its stages of development.
conclusion
Information and communication systems are a fundamental element in the development of companies since the flow of information that passes through them and is delivered to people at all levels allows defining the direction of the same organization, taking action when problems arise, define the strategies of each department and the organization, additionally these activities allow to know the organization internally and open it to its environment, so thanks to these systems companies are considered as open systems, since Through these, it is possible to obtain all kinds of environmental data that help increase competitiveness and ensure the positioning of the organization.
Since information and communication systems are so important for companies, it must be ensured that they work correctly and are in tune with the objectives and organizational strategy, so that carrying out an audit allows the detection of strengths and weaknesses in order to develop an action plan that allows correcting and improving the flow of information within the systems, so that the results obtained by decision-making are effective when using accurate information.
It should be noted that organizations that do not have effective information will only tend to fail because their action plans will have a high level of uncertainty, for this reason, information is the most valuable resource that companies can obtain since it allows them to develop efficiently.
Abstract
The increase in information within companies is exponential and getting it to the right person effectively and efficiently represents a rigorous task, so the use of information and communication systems help to manage information in the raw material way. To use it in decision-making processes and strategy planning, but to obtain results that benefit the organization, the information and communication systems must be audited to ensure their harmony with the organizational objectives.
Keywords: Audit, communication, information, receiver, transmitter.
References
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