Meaningfulness in

Information
Governance
I+M Fellows oktober 2009
peter.beijer@hp.com

Information – the lifeblood of all organizations

© 2008 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.

The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

Information Governance
•A way for an organization to deal with the use of
information between the actors involved within the
information transaction space.
• Information Governing:
− The totality of interactions between actors that realize
their goals using information they have in common,
establishing a normative foundation for all those
activities.
• Information Governance:
− The totality of theoretical conceptions and principles
related to information governing.
Kooper, M., Maes, R., & Roos Lindgreen, E. (2009). Information Governance: In Search of the Forgotten Grail. Retrieved 2009, from
Primavera: Program for Research in Information Management: http://primavera.fee.uva.nl/PDFdocs/2009-02.pdf

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 Information Governance at risk
• Dominant notice on information as asset:
− Discards the subjective wealth of its meaning to users.
− In tough times, information can even become a liability
− InfoGov = risk management & regulatory compliance
• Too technocratic (objectivist)
− the alignment of systems and technology to ensure the preservation,
availability, security, confidentiality and usability of information.
• Nature of information implies that IM should include immaterial
elements and concepts (e.g. interpreting and sense making) and the often-
overlooked phases of the information processing cycle (e.g. sensing the
environment) (Bryant, 2007)(Huizing, 2007a)(Introna, 1997)

Bryant, A. (2007). Information and the CIO. In A. Huizing, & E. J. de Vries, Information Management: Setting the Scene (pp. 57-69).
Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Huizing, A. (2007a). The Value of a Rose: Rising Above Objectivism. In A. Huizing, & E. J. de Vries, Information Management: Setting the
Scene (pp. 91-110). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Introna, L. (1997). Management, Information and Power. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS: MacMillan Press Ltd.

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In-
In-formation

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 Information had many forms

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Information had many forms

• Information as imposed truth (late 17th and 18th century)
− Information only made sense when it was put into a context like a form, a
structure or gave authority to a political, social or scientific idea, that in
itself had to match a clear worldview (Postman, 1999)

• Information through interpretation (20th century)

− Status and meaning of information
changed. Information as true
knowledge of reality did not exist
anymore; an interpretive view on
information developed instead
− Information as trading commodity

Ambiguity ahead in governance

Postman, N. (1999). Building a Bridge to the 18th Century: How the Past Can Improve Our Future. USA: Knopf.

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 Example 1: Ambiguity with meaning of
information in organizations
• Empirical example: Parliament
− Change of information related
roles
− e.g. for a civil servant the

Role
Stakeholder
proceedings of a session is just
another item to publish, while for a Producer

political party it could mean a Consumer

change of strategy
Participation level
− Actor dependent change of Staff

meaning of information Member

Citizen
− e.g. if a political issue involves a
parliamentarian’s private situation,
the meaning of information is even
situational due to the actor change
Beijer, P., & Meer van der, A. (2008). Constituency involvement through parliamentary back-office integration – Enterprise Content Management in
particular. 6th Eastern European eGov days. Prague.

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Example 2: The meaning of information

as identity
• Meaningful objects
− blogs, forums or social networking services like eBay,
Myspace, etc
− Object-centered sociality (Knorr-Cetina,1997)
• information-centered sociality when information is
the center of gravity
− ideas of a political party
− the sales-figures of the month
• People affiliate themselves with information and
behave accordingly
Knorr-Cetina, K. (1997). Sociality with objects: Social relations in postsocial knowledge societies. Theory, Culture and Society 14 , 1-30.

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 Our view on information changes
Late 17th and 18th century Yesterday Tomorrow

Scarcity Objectification Abundance

Given / Truth / Certainties Constructs Choices

Norms Concepts & models Personal

Meaning Measure & control Values

Economics Independent

If we consider how neoclassical economics influences information exchange,

transfer and usage, and that the model of the perfect market dominates to
realize value (Huizing, 2007b), we can notice that the subjectivist view on
information has lost attention.
The shift towards information-centric thinking (tomorrow) much more reflects to
the individual because information is the source for more personal value when
people affiliate with it.

Huizing, A. (2007b). Objectivist by Default. In A. Huizing, & E. J. de Vries, Information Management: Setting the Scene (pp.
73-90). Amsterdam: Elsevier.

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Information governance, meaningful (MIG)

• Traditional IM pursues efficient deployment of information
technology
− We reduce information to something that we can codify and
commoditize (objectivist)

• MIG helps the CIO to create organizational understanding

on how daily business activities can be shaped by the
effective application – use and creation – of information
− But . . . we then must meaningfully distinguish data, information and
knowledge; something an objectivist perspective omits to do so as it
excludes sense-making (Huizing, 2007a)

Huizing, A. (2007a). The Value of a Rose: Rising Above Objectivism. In A. Huizing, & E. J. de Vries, Information Management:
Setting the Scene (pp. 91-110). Amsterdam: Elsevier.

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 If you think this year was tough
…be prepared for more

• Your digital universe just doubled

and is full of info-glut
• Regulation gained teeth and
e-discovery went global
• …and your business is entering
uncertain times

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Questions for the CIO

• How can information influence organizational truth and
meaning?
• How much can meaning change the informational context?
• How and when is information meaningful to the business?
• How can information enable reciprocity between
organization and ecosystem?
• How can passive information consumers become active
communicators?
• How can organizations gain from the abundance of
information?
• How informational is the current technology strategy?

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 Meaningfulness in Information Governance
• Info-Gov needs a different literacy
− Room for expression of the meaning of information in
organizations.
• Search for instruments that are practical in this
− finding truth and value in information and representing it
meaningfully.
− subjectivist view on information in the organization
• Potential research questions:
− What structure/agency is needed for InfoGov?
− What are the meaningful practices in InfoGov?
− What is the necessary discourse to practice InfoGov?
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Governance

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 Information Governance concerns more than
regulations and control
• Just control of standards and guidelines for care and
appropriate use of information or . . .
• . . . a good climate with shared responsibilities where
people can give meaning to information for their daily
activities?

• ”Creativity & intuition are as much important as goal

directedness in governance” ~Kooiman

• The obvious question: what is governance?

Kooiman, J. (2003). Governing as Governance. In J. Kooiman, Governing as Governance. London: Sage.

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Governing as governance (Kooiman)

• Governance as interactions against the background of
societal features like diversity, complexity & dynamics

• Modes of governance (structure)

− Hierarchical: top-down direction & control to ensure rules are
followed
− Co: a network of parties pursue common values
− Self: pursue identity through values and norms as a code of conduct

• Elements of governance (agency)

− Instrumentation: e.g. legal, financial, knowledge based
− Action: e.g. motivation, exchange, social power
− Image: formed through assumptions, knowledge & learning
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 Governing images (1) (Kooiman)
• Assumptions, knowledge and learning result in
image formation
− Assumptions: explicit/implicit, hidden/revealed
− Knowledge: varies among communities of interactions
(i.e. governance modes)
− Learning: depends on type of interactions (intervention,
interplay, interference) (e.g. double loop learning)

• Knowledge & value systems can only be changed

by penetrating and repeatedly challenging them
with new images (i.e. we govern!).

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Governing images (2)

• The images we govern is information in itself!
− What is the governability of information?

• Communities, is where images on governing

issues are formed, discussed & tested

• Communication* is the central concept (Shannon++)

− Interpretative: language, meaning, sharing, ambiguity
− Mechanistic: channels, networks, flows, cognition

*Communication as complex network of interactions where understanding is a necessary condition to be

successful. (Beyond the technical communication model from Shannon and Weaver)

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 Can we govern properly without
appropriate images?
Societal features represented in the three elements of governance
Societal features Diversity Complexity Dynamics
Elements of governance
Images/values High Normal Low

Instruments/resources Low High Normal

Action/capital Normal Low High

• There is existing knowledge on instruments and actions

• Social diversity has unlimited forms
• A grip on governing images should create insight on information
governance
• Ergo, also from a governance perspective it makes sense to study
meaning in Information Governance!

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Information as meaning?
• Can we communicate meaning?
• Can we measure meaning?
• Can we describe meaning
• What is the relation of meaning with value?
• Are there necessary conditions for information to be
meaningful (valuable?) for an enterprise? (i.e. governance)

• What are the essential elements for a model wherewith we

can conceptualize the meaning of information and its value
to users and enterprise?

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 Meaning

Meaning outside the linguistic domain

• Somatic meaning
− Mind activities independent from language
− e.g. the meaning of bodily signals like blushing, tears, etc

• Meaning as internal interpretation

− Pattern recognition from phenomena we understand in our world
− e.g. the meaning of music, art, etc

• Natural meaning
− Associations between signs and events without conventions
− e.g. “These clouds mean rain.” “Those spots mean measles.”

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 Natural meaning vs. non-natural meaning
• Natural:
capture the intangible . . .
like the relation between cause
and effect
− The “measles” and “rain” examples

• Non-natural:
meaning as a result from
intentions
− The bell rings means class dismissed

Grice, H. (1957). Meaning. The Philosophical Review , 66 (3), 377-388.

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A consequentialist theory of meaning

• Cause & effect
− Common in all three types of non-linguistic
meaning
• McLuhan: “The medium is the message”
− Intrinsic information in the medium . . .
consequences of a medium becoming popular
− One meaning of the light bulb: we can read a
book at night

• But, is it any good to us? Is it meaningful

to us?
− The individual, society, business, etc (Idealism)

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 The construction of meaning –
a pragmatist approach
• The pragmatist discussion (Late 19th century) (Peirce, James, Dewey)
− Clarifying the contents of hypotheses by tracing their ‘practical
consequences’

• The function of thought is to produce habits of action (Peirce)

− To find its meaning, determine what habits it produces
− The meaning of a thing is simply what habits it involves

• Meanings manifest as habits of action

− Meanings as a result of the sense-making processes (Weick)
− Actionable knowledge as a results of making meaning (Weick)

• Meaning associates action!

Peirce, C. S. (1878, January). How to Make Our Ideas Clear. Retrieved July 2009, from Charles Peirce: http://www.peirce.org/writings/p119.html
Weick, K. E., Sutcliffe, K. M., & Obstfield, D. (2005). Organizing and the Process of Sensemaking. Organization Science , Vol. 16 (Nr. 4), 409-421.
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Towards a model of meaning: e.g. the

games industry
• Message model of meaning
− Linear, Hollywood-style stories
− Convey moralistic platitudes
through systemic play
− Orchestrated received meaning
• e.g. film, music, painting, etc.
• Immersion model of meaning
− There is no plot (abdication of
authorship)
− The act of travel
− Visiting places outside the
player's prior experience
− Potential to become deeply Project Ego will create a life-like experience.
Soon, empathy, concern and fear will all be part of the
changed (3rd order learning) interactive game experience and perhaps, one day,
even tears.

Gaynor, S. (2009). Retrieved July 2009, from Fullbright - The progress journal of one video game designer:
http://fullbright.blogspot.com/2008/11/immersion-model-of-meaning.html
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 Information (Governance) and the role
of meaning
• What effects or what are the
consequences of information to
individual, group, organization?
− e.g. small changes can have large
consequences

• Communities interpret information

in their own unique way. (Fish)
− People become authors of meaning
− Meaning is socially constructed,
i.e. context affects (if not dictates)
understanding.

• Next: towards a model of meaning for information?

Fish, S (1980), Is There aText In This Class?: The Authority of Interpretive Communities. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
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