Information Strategy in Practice

Citation

Gorman, G.E. (2006), "Information Strategy in Practice", Online Information Review, Vol. 30 No. 2, pp. 200-201. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684520610659265

In 1999 Orna produced the second edition of her seminal work, Practical Information Policies, and we owe her a considerable debt of gratitude for this work, which both clarified and extended our understanding of a key issue in this policy‐bound era. Perhaps it is too much to expect an author to continue delivering high quality, seminal work – certainly Information Strategy in Practice is neither; overall, in fact, one would have to say it is something of a disappointment.

Five of the seven chapters in this compilation have been lifted directly from the earlier work, with the addition of “practical insights” at the end of each chapter. The purpose of these additions (ranging from one to ten or so pages) is to capture the new thinking and learning that have occurred since 1999: “a good deal has happened in the information world … , and I have extended my ideas and learned from experience in that time too … ” This, it seems to me, is a lazy way to produce a new edition without the work that goes into new editions.

The five chapters from Practical Information Policies cover the various stages in determining an organisation's information policy: conducting an information audit, presenting the audit findings, formation of an information policy, development of an information strategy. Probably students or practitioners new to this obsessively policy‐driven environment in which we work will find these chapters useful. However, the lack of case studies from the original volume makes some of the writing too abstract – for this the fuller 1999 volume is recommended.

Chapters 7 and 8 are new. The first of these is a gem; it reviews the main themes and emphasises the latest thinking about them, drawing out practical lessons for information strategy. In these 30 pages the most useful discussion surrounded the integration of knowledge management and information management, which until now this reviewer has refused to recognised. Orna writes convincingly, and I am all but swayed to her view. The eighth chapter looks at specific situations that managers might face when turning recommendations into actions; Orna suggests ways of dealing with them based on practical experience.

With the possible exception of Chapter 7, this is not required reading by those who have read Practical Information Policies, but it may serve as a useful “crib” for those who do not want to bother with the full story.