Information Nation: Seven Keys to Information Management Compliance, Second Edition

Conclusion

We are in a business environment where information plays an increasingly important role in the success of both public and private organizations. In our imperfect world, where information is contemporaneously growing in volume and importance, we have ample evidence to take Information Management seriously. In recent times, we have seen IMC failures take a huge toll on countless companies that mismanaged or entirely failed to manage their information assets.

Companies have withered away. State and federal governmental institutions have obliterated already limited budgets trying to comply with recordkeeping laws. Corporations have been suffering through an ample amount of bad press for information mismanagement. And company employees have been accused, convicted, and incarcerated for IMC failures.

We have witnessed a confluence of events that makes a compelling case that what organizations have been doing up to this point may not be good enough. Policies drafted but not enforced can mean failure. The existence of an Information Management program, but inconsistent application of its directives can mean failure. Developing the directives, but improperly delegating responsibility for their implementation and enforcement, can mean failure. Failing to tell employees to refrain from destroying "anything potentially relevant" or suspending the records retention schedule in the context of an impending lawsuit can also mean failure. Responsibility to prevent these failures begins ...