Handbook of Corporate Communication and Public ... - Blogs Unpad

take this further and distinguish between
different kinds of formally published information
(popular books, monographs, periodical
publications and their electronic equivalents)
and informal information and communication
activities within a social context (meetings,
seminars, conferences and even documented
contributions which have received less than
absolute reviewing and refereeing). Information
managers (librarians, information service
providers, database providers, webmasters,
etc.) have elaborated their competencies and
craft on this basis.
All these efforts however have seemed
limited in face of the extent of human ingenuity
and capacity for thought, endeavour and
action. For a long time information professionals
had to be content with an operational
scope, which however significant, was naturally
limited. They could serve their users and
provide information but they could not
manage their use of information (except in a
limited way) and influence the effects information
might produce. There were naturally
limits to their role in any grand shaping of
knowledge (and never did they realistically
claim such ambitions). Nevertheless, the impetus
to seek greater management capacity
over the totality of information has evolved
along with the growing complexity of the
modern world. Inevitably, the desire and need
for a strategic capacity over information has
extended to capacities over a more total range
of behaviours. The human processing of
information towards knowledge gained and
retained has indicated where this strategic
capacity lies and has suggested necessary
and useful responses. The management of
information has been progressing towards
realizing the capacity to manage knowledge.
This movement began professionally in the
mid-1970s with the emergence of information
resource management and by the late
1980s was consolidating around the emergent
practices of knowledge management.
Information and knowledge management
has emerged as a corporate and business
related activity, stemming from initiatives in
market research, market, product and competitive
intelligence, business information,
management information, consulting, modelling,
decision support and business and corporate
policy. It also continues to have a
significant impact on the work of library and
information professionals who form a significantly
valuable feature of the knowledge
supply chain for such communities.
The relevance of information and knowledge
management to corporate communication
lies in the importance of information as a
resource in the organization and in the corporate
communication process. Successful corporate
communication is driven by many other
forces and requirements, but the techniques
of information and communication used and
their management form a common infrastructural
element.
The study of corporate communication
requires an understanding of both the business
and client environments and management
principles and practices, as well as issues
relating to information per se. Information
and knowledge management features have
evolved concurrently with changes in the business
environment: for example, the influence
of the information and communication technologies;
strategic business and IT; the global
marketplace; the virtual corporation and
e-business and e-commerce. The current
importance and impact of the worldwide web
in marketing and corporate communication is
now an accepted feature.
Whilst the corporate environment has engendered
knowledge management, the future
© 2004 Sandra Oliver for editorial matter and selection;
individual chapters, the contributors