Abstract
The utilization of Computerized Information Systems are increasingly becoming
popular with the helping professions. Through its ability to provide up to date client
data Computerized Information Systems facilitate informed decision making which
in turn enables development of more effective services to clients and better responses
to environmental demands. Effective information management is more than
integrating technological resources such as computers and software into the
organization. Effective information management concerns planning and structuring
organizational efforts and strategies to successfully capture, process, store, retrieve
and attach meaning to data so that it becomes information that can be used for
altering the organizations course. It is often uncertainty about organizational
information management strategies that prevents the successful integration of
computer technology. This article proposes an Information model that can enable
decision makers in analyzing organizational information processes and develop
strategies for the effective management of information. The Information model can
be used by helping professionals such as Social Workers and Psychologists, as well
as managers who work in Human Service and general organizations who want to
manage information more effectively. Some advantages of this Information Model
are the following:
• The model offers a description of organizational information processes and their
relationships with the different organizational subsystems that are responsible
for processing information.
• It facilitates the identification of pathological conditions in information
processes and offers guidelines on how to manage information under these
circumstances.
• The model provides guidelines for non-computer supported information
management, as well as optimization of computerized information systems.
• Organizations are enabled to utilize data about staff outputs, program impacts on
clients, and information requests from the environment and resource providers.
• A basic framework is provided for the evaluation of organizational effectiveness.