Implications of the IIC project for the education of information professionals

✍ Scribed by Rohde, Nancy ;Herther, Nancy

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1997
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 28 KB
• Volume: 48
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0002-8231
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4571(199705)48:5<474::aid-asi14>3.0.co;2-z

✦ Synopsis

the IIC have implications for the education of these information professionals.

First, information professionals need to understand the political and social environment in which information systems operate. More particularly, they need to be more politically astute in their dealings with the administrative groups of the various information delivery utilities that are converging. An understanding of these utilities, the functions they have performed, how the shift to an integrated electronic environment has, or will, affect them, as well as an understanding of power structures and the decision making processes in organizations and how to participate effectively in these processes should be built into the educational programs of all information professionals. The changing political environment in the University led to much effort being devoted to sorting out the responsibilities of the IIC vis-a `-vis the newly established information centers in the School of Management and the Institute of Public Affairs. A competitive information environment was fostered. The teams working on the implementation of the IIC also did not recognize what their real conflicts were. Information professionals, if they are to succeed, must learn how to manage conflict (how to recognize what the real conflicts are, use conflict constructively, and resolve conflict). They must also learn to collaborate with each other in order to help end users solve their information problems.

Second, all information professionals need to be consumer oriented in their approach to end users. To meet their needs effectively, they must know more about end users, what motivates them, what their requirements are, how they use information, and how they react to technology. The development of good communication and analytical and creative problem-solving skills is crucial.