Information systems

From Free net encyclopedia

Information Systems is the discipline concerned with the development, use, application and influence of information systems. An information system, following a definition of Langefors (e.g., see [1]), is a technologically implemented medium for recording, storing, and disseminating linguistic expressions, as well as for drawing conclusions from such expressions.

The technology used for implementing information systems by no means has to be computer technology. A notebook in which one lists certain items of interest is, according to that definition, an information system. Likewise, there are computer applications that do not comply with this definition of information systems. Embedded systems are an example. A computer application that is integrated into clothing or even the human body does not generally deal with linguistic expressions. One could, however, try to generalize Langefors' definition such as to cover more recent developments.

See also

• European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS)
• Information system
• Management Information Systems

Information Integrity

Information Integrity

Information Integrity can be defined as the dependability and trustworthiness of information. More specifically, it is the accuracy, consistency and reliability of the information content, processes and systems.

Individuals, organizations and society are becoming increasingly concerned about Information Integrity and seriously impacted by the lack of it. The economic, political and social effects of Information Integrity are as ubiquitous and diverse as errors in supermarket scanners and credit reports, failed corporate mergers and acquisitions, loss of market valuation due to restatement of financial results, deaths caused by medical errors, and debates about the accuracy of ballot counts.

The high-tech industry and the information revolution are causing an explosive growth in the volume of information created, exchanged and stored. Digital information is becoming as pervasive and essential as air, water, electricity and canned food. Increasingly, we rely on such information for our livelihood, lifestyle and even life itself. Ironically, however, information has not been the focus of interest thus far in this information age. Instead, academia, industry and government have been preoccupied with information technology. For us to effectively harness the benefits of the information revolution, and avoid the costs of widespread information pollution, we need to recognize and treat information as a shared, universal resource. We need to develop the science, technology, products and services to measure, monitor and manage its integrity, much like the emergence of the environmental science, technology and industry in the wake of the industrial revolution to answer our need for clean air, pure water, reliable power and safe food.

We need a new paradigm for addressing Information Integrity. The current approach to Information Integrity is unscientific, ad hoc, sporadic and costly. Apart from privacy and security, there has been scant attention on the trustworthiness or integrity of information and of the interconnected, integrated information processes and systems. By and large, Information Integrity is addressed from isolated perspectives within each organization, or as specific issues unique to accounting, finance, law, medicine, engineering, hardware, software and the like. Consequently, industry, government and society are paying an inordinately high price for the level of Information Integrity that there is, and facing enormous, unforeseen risks from catastrophic Information Integrity failures.

The issue of Information Integrity presents a formidable challenge. However, it also offers an enormous and exciting opportunity for academia, industry and government to create a new knowledge and market space. The size and scope of such a space will be very large, spanning many theoretical and applied disciplines as well as a broad spectrum of technologies, products and services. It will encompass a wide array of new research, education, product development, services, standards, legislation and other elements, much like those associated with air quality, water pollution, and food safety. Potentially, it could generate tens of billions of dollars of new economic activity.

References

1. Hirschheim, R., Klein, H. K. & Lyytinen, K. Information systems development and data modeling: Conceptual and philosophical foundations. Cambridge University Press, 1995.

See Also

• Data modeling
• Data architect
• Database
• Metadata
• Data Reference Model
• Predictive Model Markup Language
• Environmental Modeling Center
• Semantic translation

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