The management and control of written information

The control and management of written information in business is growing in importance, and the consequences of its mismanagement are coming more clearly into focus. Written information which cannot be found impairs decision making, planning, evaluation, and organizational growth. The problem is reflected in the costly duplication of effort when available information is not or cannot be shared. Managers are frequently overwhelmed by the rising tide of useless information that crosses their desks and often hides the occasional truly significant document. The control of written information is often based implicitly on the Library Model; that is, the control of written information in businesses is much like the management of books in a library. This article discusses what the difficulties are in applying the Library Model to business information systems and offers a more appropriate model for businesses to manage their written information.