BASIC CONCEPTS
(Chiavenato, 2011) argues that, from the point of view of decision theory, it can be said that the organization is a structured series of information networks that link data sources with the information needs of each decision process. These networks, although separate, overlap and are interpreted in a complex way.
To understand how they work, it is necessary to define the meaning of the terms "data", "information" and "communication".
- Data: are the elements that lay the foundations to form judgments or solve problems. A data is only an index, a record, an objective manifestation, which can be subject to subjective analysis; that is, its manipulation requires that the person interpret it. The data itself has little value, but once classified, stored and related to each other, it allows information to be obtained. However, isolated data are not significant and do not constitute information. Data must be processed (classified, stored and related) to acquire meaning and information. Information: it has meaning and intentionality, aspects that differentiate it from the concept of data. The means through which data are stored for later use are known as data banks.is the process of transmitting data or information to another person or entity. Deep down, communication shares meanings.
The term "data processing" designates the various activities that occur in organizations, in social groups and among people; that is, there is a certain volume of data or initial information (in files, in expectations or in memory) that is constantly added to other subsequent data or information (greater volume of data, alterations, modifications), which gives as result in a greater volume of data (or information).
Data processing is the activity that consists of accumulating, grouping and crossing data to transform it into information, with a certain purpose or objective, in order to obtain other information, or the same, but in another way.
The data processing system has specific objectives that vary from one organization to another.
The information can come from the external environment (outside the organization, such as the job market, competitors, suppliers, government organizations, other organizations, etc.) or internally (within the organization, such as the organization chart and the salaries corresponding to the positions, people who work in it, man-hours worked, volume of production and sales, productivity achieved, etc.).
The information that serves the entire organization constitutes the global information system (implies the institutional or managerial level, the intermediate or executive level, and the operational level of the organization), while the information that supports the decisions of the managers constitutes the information system. managerial (which implies the institutional or managerial level and the intermediate or executive level).
Data Processing System. Source: (Chiavenato, 2011)
INFORMATION
Management Information System
(Hitt, 2006) mentions that for effective control to exist, data-based knowledge is required; that is, it requires optimal information. There are four characteristics that determine the quality of information: usefulness, accuracy, timeliness, and objectivity.
- Utility: Not all data collected for control purposes are equally useful for administrative operations and decisions. Sometimes data that were once useful continues to be collected, even when the original purposes for obtaining such information have disappeared. Accuracy Data or numbers that are inaccurate or misleading are not only not used to give a good basis to control stages, but also foster cynicism among those whose performance is measured. Because control actions, especially those designed to change behavior that do not adhere to the achievement of standards, have such powerful effects, it is vital that a substantial effort is made to obtain absolutely valid data. Otherwise, lack of information would be better than wrong information.Timeliness Even accurate data, if it comes too late, is not of much use. This is true for any organizational actions, but especially for control purposes. In the fast-paced world of global business, stale data is practically uninteresting. To have effective control, information must reach those who can take action and make the changes that are required in time. Objectivity Objectivity, especially in relation to control, is a two-edged sword. Almost anyone would agree that objective facts are better than subjective facts and opinions, which may be biased. However, for certain types of performances, objective data may not be possible or may even be wrong. In organizations,Some of the activities that are most easily measured, and therefore those that are easily controlled, are relatively insignificant for the achievement of the strategic and main goals. If all other factors remain unchanged, factual information would be preferable, but in many situations those other factors may not be the same and it would be value judgments, rather than important facts, that would provide the best basis for making decisions about. the actions to be taken.but in many situations those other factors may not be the same and it would be the value judgments, rather than the important facts, that would provide the best basis for making decisions about the actions to be taken.but in many situations those other factors may not be the same and it would be the value judgments, rather than the important facts, that would provide the best basis for making decisions about the actions to be taken.
DIFFUSE INFORMATION
According to (RAE, 2017) the word diffuse (a) comes from the Latin diffussus and can be interpreted as vague and imprecise, referring to language.
Therefore, the interpretation that we can make of the term “diffuse information” would be like data that have already been previously analyzed that, having intentionality and usefulness, lose it completely, as it is vague and imprecise, having repercussions on the effective control of the organization, it should be mentioned that this information can come from an external or internal environment.
(UNAM, 2008) mentions that the information must transform the perception of the facts of the perceiver, since it will be this who decides whether a piece of information (or a set of data) is relevant or not. Because the difference between data and information depends on the relevance and purpose of a fact, what is information for one person can simply be data for another.
In addition to data and information, there is another concept that is important to mention and we refer to knowledge, which in the words of Davenport and Prusak (1998) propose that knowledge is a fluid mix of concrete experiences, values, information in context and judgment based on the experience that provides a frame of reference to evaluate and incorporate new experiences and information. Knowledge originates and applies in the minds of people. In organizations, it is not only stored in documents or computers, but also in organizational routines, processes, practices and norms.
Hence the importance of the information being clear, correct and timely, since otherwise the consequences can be catastrophic.
ATTRIBUTES OF CORRECT INFORMATION
(UNAM, 2008) argues that the design of an information system requires satisfying some important attributes of the information, these are:
- Purpose
The information must have a purpose at the time of being transmitted to a person or machine; otherwise it will be just data or noise. The one communicated to the human being presents a wide diversity of objectives by virtue of the wide range of activities of the members of the companies and the systems. The basic purpose is to inform, evaluate, convince or organize the information; create new concepts, detect problems, and solve them, make decisions, plan, initiate, control and search.
- Mode and format
The modes of communication between human beings are sensory (sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell), in companies the visual and auditory predominate. Format is also a common characteristic of information transmitted to man or machine. The man receives most of the information in formats of verbal material or in documents. The machines receive it in the format of energy patterns, ribbons, cards and even in written form.
- Redundancy / efficiency
Redundancy is, in general terms, the excess of information transmitted per unit of data. It constitutes a security measure against errors in the communication process. Redundancy occurs in every organization as demonstrated by the various supervisions that are made to employees.
The efficiency of the data language is the complement of redundancy:
Efficiency = 1 - redundancy
- Speed
The speed of transmission or reception of information is represented by the time it takes to understand a particular problem.
- Frequency
The frequency with which information is transmitted or received affects its value. Weekly financial reports can show such a small change that its value is negligible; instead, monthly reports can indicate changes that are large enough to show problems or trends.
- Deterministic or probabilistic
The information can be known with certainty as is often the case with historical information. The one referring to the future will always contain an element of doubt and yet it is often considered deterministic in the sense that only one value is assumed to exist. The calculation of inventory, return on investment, sales for the following month is often done to obtain a single value: the deterministic solution of a problem. If the information is probabilistic, a set of possible outcomes is given along with their corresponding probabilities.
- Reliability and precision
When statistical parameter estimates are made, the actual value of the parameter falls within a certain range.
- cost
It is a factor that can become limiting in obtaining information. Even internal information from company records can be extremely expensive due to the need to collect, store and retrieve it.
- Validity
It is a measure of the degree to which the information represents what it purports to represent.
- Value
Much of the information is intangible and difficult to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively, this attribute determines the measure or level of utility it can provide. It depends a lot on other characteristics: mode, speed, frequency, deterministic characteristics, reliability and validity.
REFERENCES CONSULTED
- Chiavenato, I. (2011). HUM RESOURCE ADMINISTRATION. McGraw-Hill Interamericana de España SL Hitt, MA (2006). Administration. México, DF: Pearson Educación.RAE. (2017). Royal Spanish Academy. Usual Dictionary. Retrieved on April 20, 2017, from http://dle.rae.es/srv/search?m=30&w=difusoUNAM. (2008). Kinds of Information Systems. Recovered from
