Tangibility of Information
Fondamental :
Buckland later argues about the tangibility or intangibility of each of the given uses of information and the importance of this when it comes to handling information.
Neither information-as-process nor information-as-knowledge are considered tangible because they cannot be measured or touched. In order to use, manipulate or handle information, we must communicate it (be it spoken or written) in order to show that we know about a certain subject.
These expressions are categorized as Information-as-thing.
INTANGIBLE | TANGIBLE | |
ENTITY | Information-as-knowledge ex : Knowledge | Information-as-thing ex : Data, document |
PROCESS | Information-as-process ex : Becoming informed | Information processing ex : Data processing |
Buckland emphasizes that information-as-thing are essential to information systems because it is the only form of information that is manipulable (tangible).
Exemple : Information Systems and Information-as-thing
Type of System | Thing |
Library | Books |
Computer-based | Physical bits and bytes |
Museum | Objects |
Remarque :
It is important to note that the purpose of information systems is to inform the user (information-as-process) in order for them to gain knowledge (information-as-knowledge) but these systems handle information in a physical manner (information-as-thing).
