The growth and development of any organization depend on how well data and information is managed or utilized to provide relevant knowledge to the organization. This process can easily be demonstrated using organization information processing theory (Is Theory, 2014).This theory involves for main information processing stages. They include data or information retrieval or acquisition, storage, transformation and transmission consecutively. The retrieval and acquisition is the stage whereby a person seeks or is provided some piece of data, knowledge or information. This may come from the organization or outside, or even in the mind of a person who came upon it. The second stage might take place in the memory of an individual, or through media or computer. When information is disseminated or stored so as an extensive range future and present employees can retrieve it in the future, it might result to organizational learning and turn to be part of the memories of an organization. Transformation assists when people change the received information for different purposes. They might analyze it in order to reach to an inference or judgment regarding the information, or they might expand on it or abbreviate it for particular needs that include reporting an outline to management or colleagues. Finally, transmission is the techniques in which the information is passed to others (Encyclopedia, 2015).
This theory clearly demonstrates how knowledge is acquired and disseminated to others in an organization. The process of acquiring and spreading knowledge highly depend on the available data and the manner in which this data is transformed into information through processing. This entire process is determined data accuracy, the data validity, data reliability and relevancy based on the organization operations. Effective processing of this data transforms them into information which is of great importance to the organization. This information provides clear knowledge to an organization by providing answers to a number of questions that initiated the collection of certain data. The data collection can be on any organization’s department of operation which include processing, marketing, management or any other organization department that may need answers to their challenges or problems. When data is processed to information, it provides an organization with great knowledge regarding different organization operation aspects. This knowledge can be stored to for future retrieval and referral in case similar challenges are experienced in the future. In addition, this information can be transmitted to others through employees in an organization using the information system. The storage and transmission of this information are two strategies used to ensure that this information is of great importance to a wide range of individuals in the organization now and in the future (Liew, 2007).
One of the examples that can be used to demonstrate the utilization of the organization information processing theory in an organization is the application of the research and development department and expansion of the organization operation. The research and development department is normally involved identify new ways of production or processing to enhance the product quality and efficiency or to enhance the production process by lowering the cost of production. The department therefore collects data and information from different sources while trying their viability to the organization needs. When the right data or information is obtained, the information is tested and results obtained. This can be regarded to data transformation as the collected data is used to make important and transformational conclusions. The department then shares that information with the relevant department with intention of improving their operation. The department in question adds the information to their operation knowledge and thus advancing their technological knowhow in their field increases. This information is also stored to ensure that one can refer to it at any time. This is a process that happens in any organization that focuses on improving its operations and its output. It assists in improving the competitive advantage of an organization.
The organization information processing theory contributes a great in the process of knowledge management. Though there is no a static definition of knowledge management, KM has been regarded as a process in which the organization codify the information the customers, employees and partners with intention of sharing this information with others in the organization with intention of bettering the organization’s operation. The codification of this information can be regarded as the first and the second stages of the organization information processing theory. They involve retrieving the information from customers, employees, and other stakeholders and storing it for future utilization or for dissemination. Sharing basically refers to information dissemination. Information transformation in this case is the process in which the collected information is evaluated and an informative conclusion is obtained. It is therefore evidence that organization information processing theory can easily be used in any organization to enhance knowledge management. However, this can only be fully enhanced by use of an effective information system which enhances data entry, data processing, data storage, and data transmission (Levinson, 2007).
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