Mar 19, Part 1 - Information Integration

Data is quickly becoming a key asset in today’s business world; Internet-based transactions have given companies the ability to collect and store massive amounts of important information. But, along with these huge amounts of data, comes requirements of transmission, storage, and search and retrieval. If a business is not ready for the increase in data volume, they “find their systems breaking under the sheer volume and diversity of data being directed at them” (Roth, Wolfson, Kleewein, & Nelin, 2002, p. 563). Companies are now challenged with information integration to prevent the breakdown of their technology infrastructure. “Information integration is a technology approach that combines core elements from data management systems, content management systems, data warehouses, and other enterprise applications into a common platform” (Roth et al., 2002, p. 564). Roth et al. (2002) have described three requirements that are necessary for a “robust information integration platform” (p. 569). These include the necessity for businesses to support XML, the need for a single system to provide access to all data and services, and the requirement for open standards (Roth et al., 2002, pp. 569-570).

Post supports the idea of information integration by identifying that old systems were “built for individual departments and areas within the company” (Post & Anderson, 2006, p. 237) and did not communicate with each another. The only way that managers would have access to information from different areas of the company would be printouts given to them, which may be outdated by the time it reached their hands. The solution is integration and tools are being built and updated to “integrate all of the data in the company, including ties to suppliers and customers” (Post & Anderson, 2006, p. 238).

Information integration seems to be a solution for companies with a large number of departments and outside entities; would information integration be worth the time and effort for a small or medium sized business to implement?

Post, G. V., & Anderson, D. L. (2006). Management Information Systems: Solving business problems with Information Technology. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

Roth, M. A., Wolfson, D. C., Kleewein, J. C., & Nelin, C. J. (2002). Information integration: A new generation of information technology. IBM Systems Journal, 41(4), 563-577.