Infonomics
Encyclopedia
Infonomics is a recently coined term for information
management
. It purports to be about the interrelationship between "people" and "organizations", on the one hand, and "information", on the other. People who use the term describe Infonomics as an emergent discipline
, involving various disciplines, and requiring "people participation" from both a theoretical, as well as a practical standpoint.
Infonomics is a growing discipline, and while nobody has as yet referred to himself/herself as an "infonomist", there are millions of people who spend most of their time doing just that: exploiting intelligently the information that falls into their hands, or even better, into their minds.
The term is derived from info- (information) plus -nomics (law).
s, and to invent new companies. Infrastructure
s ("information continents") are combined with infostructures ("contents") in order to multiply and generate value, both in organizations, as well as in nations. Infonomics should clarify whether rules in the "traditional economy
" can be applied to the "new economy
" or whether those rules need to be modified or improved.
; it is a complex entity
where people, machines, publications, processes and policies are combined. Designing information systems "for" an organization is a mistake, as an organization "is" an information system. The future of organizations depends on the discovery of ways to multiply the value of their employees' minds through the use of technologies
that increase their capacity.
as long as there are not a few basic principles — perhaps derived by induction
— that allow us to deduce
and predict results. In the information field, there are many laws, pare-laws, pseudo-laws and just plain lies. What are the fundamental information laws? Could any essential theorem
s be derived? What are the research
lines that ought to be developed in the future?
"). The current search systems for information, however, are quite primitive, and there is still quite a lot of work to be done. These systems should be susceptible to adaptation
and evolution
, according to the user's requirements and learning process.
. We need to have a better understanding of the situations under which an individual transforms his/her "information" into "knowledge". Also, organizations must consider knowledge as an asset
, and as an asset, it must be taken into consideration in its balance sheet
. The evaluation
methods in the educational systems need to be reviewed, as they are focussed more on evaluating what one does not know, rather than what one does know. Companies are now developing ways of improving their intellectual capital
, and are favoring knowledge generation.
, the challenge lies in making information easier to understand. There is little time to digest inputs, which is why much more time will be spent in order to create an informational stimulus, so that people spend their time in understanding, and not just in accessing or reading. This is a society that is ruled by the attention economy
— without much time and stimulus, creators will fight in order to catch people's attention. For that, it is essential to design information that can be more easily understood. People must learn more about how to understand each other (cognition
about the different ways of transmitting information efficiently — the field of man-machine interaction). "Information visualization
" will become a crucial factor in Information Management, fostered both by technological advances (3D
terminals, virtual reality
, etc.), as well as by people's better understanding about their relationship with images, the latter of which is about how people's brain
s process and organize information in a particular way.
is information. It allows companies to be thought again in their actuation form, as well as in how they relate to their surroundings (market agents, clients, partners, etc.). The key to business in the Net lies in understanding the digital relationship between the one who sells, and the one who purchases. This informational relationship is completely different from the one that happens in the "real world". e-business is then "i-business": The "New Economy
" is the economy of intangible asset
s, specifically of information management.
s must act as role model
s in making intelligent use of technologies in order to improve their relationship with the citizens, as well as to improve their provided services.
s, computer scientist
s, economist
s, statistician
s, linguists
, psychologist
s, chaos scientists, and others. Infonomics will perhaps be the first discipline where Edward Wilson's consilience
principle is applied: only the union of different visions from various disciplines will shed light on this field. According to what is known up till now, "infonomics", as a general information theory, will be divided into two big parts:
Information
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
management
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
. It purports to be about the interrelationship between "people" and "organizations", on the one hand, and "information", on the other. People who use the term describe Infonomics as an emergent discipline
Discipline
In its original sense, discipline is referred to systematic instruction given to disciples to train them as students in a craft or trade, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order". Often, the phrase "to discipline" carries a negative connotation. This is because enforcement of order –...
, involving various disciplines, and requiring "people participation" from both a theoretical, as well as a practical standpoint.
Infonomics is a growing discipline, and while nobody has as yet referred to himself/herself as an "infonomist", there are millions of people who spend most of their time doing just that: exploiting intelligently the information that falls into their hands, or even better, into their minds.
The term is derived from info- (information) plus -nomics (law).
Areas of Infonomics
Infonomics requires a theoretical development, and the following are some of the areas that Infonomics deals with:Knowledge Economy
The competitiveness of nations lies in its capacity to generate ideas, to turn them into innovationInnovation
Innovation is the creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society...
s, and to invent new companies. Infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
s ("information continents") are combined with infostructures ("contents") in order to multiply and generate value, both in organizations, as well as in nations. Infonomics should clarify whether rules in the "traditional economy
Traditional economy
Traditional economy is a catching-all term normally used to describe economic systems that pertain in societies with extensive subsistence agriculture. The term may also be used for any economy that falls outside of popular notions of market and command economies...
" can be applied to the "new economy
New Economy
The New Economy is a term to describe the result of the transition from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy. This particular use of the term was popular during the Dot-com bubble of the late 1990s...
" or whether those rules need to be modified or improved.
Organization as an Information System
An organization is an informational ecosystemEcosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
; it is a complex entity
Entity
An entity is something that has a distinct, separate existence, although it need not be a material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually regarded as entities. In general, there is also no presumption that an entity is animate.An entity could be viewed as a set...
where people, machines, publications, processes and policies are combined. Designing information systems "for" an organization is a mistake, as an organization "is" an information system. The future of organizations depends on the discovery of ways to multiply the value of their employees' minds through the use of technologies
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
that increase their capacity.
Information Laws
Infonomics does not exist as a scienceScience
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
as long as there are not a few basic principles — perhaps derived by induction
Inductive reasoning
Inductive reasoning, also known as induction or inductive logic, is a kind of reasoning that constructs or evaluates propositions that are abstractions of observations. It is commonly construed as a form of reasoning that makes generalizations based on individual instances...
— that allow us to deduce
Deductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning, also called deductive logic, is reasoning which constructs or evaluates deductive arguments. Deductive arguments are attempts to show that a conclusion necessarily follows from a set of premises or hypothesis...
and predict results. In the information field, there are many laws, pare-laws, pseudo-laws and just plain lies. What are the fundamental information laws? Could any essential theorem
Theorem
In mathematics, a theorem is a statement that has been proven on the basis of previously established statements, such as other theorems, and previously accepted statements, such as axioms...
s be derived? What are the research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
lines that ought to be developed in the future?
Search for Relevance as Informational Energy
Information is scarcely useful if it is not relevant to anyone at some moment, or in a certain situation. It is necessary to learn what makes an "information" relevant, either for an individual or an organization (through the development of useful mechanisms for an "information auditAudit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
"). The current search systems for information, however, are quite primitive, and there is still quite a lot of work to be done. These systems should be susceptible to adaptation
Adaptation
An adaptation in biology is a trait with a current functional role in the life history of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of natural selection. An adaptation refers to both the current state of being adapted and to the dynamic evolutionary process that leads to the adaptation....
and evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
, according to the user's requirements and learning process.
Knowledge as Value
There is too much information, but too little knowledgeKnowledge
Knowledge is a familiarity with someone or something unknown, which can include information, facts, descriptions, or skills acquired through experience or education. It can refer to the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject...
. We need to have a better understanding of the situations under which an individual transforms his/her "information" into "knowledge". Also, organizations must consider knowledge as an asset
Asset
In financial accounting, assets are economic resources. Anything tangible or intangible that is capable of being owned or controlled to produce value and that is held to have positive economic value is considered an asset...
, and as an asset, it must be taken into consideration in its balance sheet
Balance sheet
In financial accounting, a balance sheet or statement of financial position is a summary of the financial balances of a sole proprietorship, a business partnership or a company. Assets, liabilities and ownership equity are listed as of a specific date, such as the end of its financial year. A...
. The evaluation
Evaluation
Evaluation is systematic determination of merit, worth, and significance of something or someone using criteria against a set of standards.Evaluation often is used to characterize and appraise subjects of interest in a wide range of human enterprises, including the arts, criminal justice,...
methods in the educational systems need to be reviewed, as they are focussed more on evaluating what one does not know, rather than what one does know. Companies are now developing ways of improving their intellectual capital
Intellectual capital
The value of an enterprise is made of physical assets, various financial assets and, finally, intangible assets, i.e., intellectual capital . The term intellectual capital conventionally refers to the difference in value between tangible assets and market value. ....
, and are favoring knowledge generation.
Understanding as Business
In a society with an information overloadInformation overload
"Information overload" is a term popularized by Alvin Toffler in his bestselling 1970 book Future Shock. It refers to the difficulty a person can have understanding an issue and making decisions that can be caused by the presence of too much information...
, the challenge lies in making information easier to understand. There is little time to digest inputs, which is why much more time will be spent in order to create an informational stimulus, so that people spend their time in understanding, and not just in accessing or reading. This is a society that is ruled by the attention economy
Attention economy
Attention economics is an approach to the management of information that treats human attention as a scarce commodity, and applies economic theory to solve various information management problems....
— without much time and stimulus, creators will fight in order to catch people's attention. For that, it is essential to design information that can be more easily understood. People must learn more about how to understand each other (cognition
Cognition
In science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...
about the different ways of transmitting information efficiently — the field of man-machine interaction). "Information visualization
Information visualization
Information visualization is the interdisciplinary study of "the visual representation of large-scale collections of non-numerical information, such as files and lines of code in software systems, library and bibliographic databases, networks of relations on the internet, and so forth".- Overview...
" will become a crucial factor in Information Management, fostered both by technological advances (3D
3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
terminals, virtual reality
Virtual reality
Virtual reality , also known as virtuality, is a term that applies to computer-simulated environments that can simulate physical presence in places in the real world, as well as in imaginary worlds...
, etc.), as well as by people's better understanding about their relationship with images, the latter of which is about how people's brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
s process and organize information in a particular way.
Internet as a Transformational Factor in Business
InternetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
is information. It allows companies to be thought again in their actuation form, as well as in how they relate to their surroundings (market agents, clients, partners, etc.). The key to business in the Net lies in understanding the digital relationship between the one who sells, and the one who purchases. This informational relationship is completely different from the one that happens in the "real world". e-business is then "i-business": The "New Economy
New Economy
The New Economy is a term to describe the result of the transition from a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy. This particular use of the term was popular during the Dot-com bubble of the late 1990s...
" is the economy of intangible asset
Intangible asset
Intangible assets are defined as identifiable non-monetary assets that cannot be seen, touched or physically measured, which are created through time and/or effort and that are identifiable as a separate asset...
s, specifically of information management.
Information Policies
A background of technological, legal and administrative infrastructures is needed in order to make the New Economy work. It is very difficult to move forward towards "Information Society" without a set of laws, specifically for the "Digital Age". Moreover, public administrationPublic administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
s must act as role model
Role model
The term role model generally means any "person who serves as an example, whose behaviour is emulated by others".The term first appeared in Robert K. Merton's socialization research of medical students...
s in making intelligent use of technologies in order to improve their relationship with the citizens, as well as to improve their provided services.
The New Information Professional's Education
There is no "infonomics" without infonomists. Infonomics as a discipline does not exist, unless there are people who are willing to develop it, not just from a corporate viewpoint, but always bearing in mind the search for new knowledge. The establishment of a search program for infonomics is the first challenge for the discipline: in such a wide field, the search starts by determining what should be searched for.General Information Theory
All information must be organized in a coherent body. Ways must be devised to filter, organize, and relate current and future knowledge in order to establish the principles for a "General Information Theory". This General Information Theory will go beyond what has been said to date by engineerEngineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
s, computer scientist
Computer scientist
A computer scientist is a scientist who has acquired knowledge of computer science, the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their application in computer systems....
s, economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
s, statistician
Statistician
A statistician is someone who works with theoretical or applied statistics. The profession exists in both the private and public sectors. The core of that work is to measure, interpret, and describe the world and human activity patterns within it...
s, linguists
Linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. Linguistics can be broadly broken into three categories or subfields of study: language form, language meaning, and language in context....
, psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
s, chaos scientists, and others. Infonomics will perhaps be the first discipline where Edward Wilson's consilience
Consilience
Consilience, or the unity of knowledge , has its roots in the ancient Greek concept of an intrinsic orderliness that governs our cosmos, inherently comprehensible by logical process, a vision at odds with mystical views in many cultures that surrounded the Hellenes...
principle is applied: only the union of different visions from various disciplines will shed light on this field. According to what is known up till now, "infonomics", as a general information theory, will be divided into two big parts:
- Microinfonomics: dealing with the relationship between information and people, and subdivided into several sections, such as cognitionCognitionIn science, cognition refers to mental processes. These processes include attention, remembering, producing and understanding language, solving problems, and making decisions. Cognition is studied in various disciplines such as psychology, philosophy, linguistics, and computer science...
, interfacesUser interfaceThe user interface, in the industrial design field of human–machine interaction, is the space where interaction between humans and machines occurs. The goal of interaction between a human and a machine at the user interface is effective operation and control of the machine, and feedback from the...
, communication, etc.; and - Macroinfonomics, devoted to the use of information in organizations and in society in general, analyzing subjects such as organization theory, general systems theory, information systemInformation systemAn information system - or application landscape - is any combination of information technology and people's activities that support operations, management, and decision making. In a very broad sense, the term information system is frequently used to refer to the interaction between people,...
s, information policies, knowledge managementKnowledge managementKnowledge management comprises a range of strategies and practices used in an organization to identify, create, represent, distribute, and enable adoption of insights and experiences...
, etc.