From information mismanagement to misinformation – the dark side of information management

Information management in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

This paper aims to review the information management aspects of the early months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus 19 outbreak. It shows that the transition from epidemic to the pandemic was caused partly by poor management of information that was publicly available in January 2020.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach combines public domain epidemic data with economic, demographic, health, social and political data and investigates how information was managed by governments. It includes case studies of early-stage information management, from countries with high and low coronavirus disease 2019 impacts (as measured by deaths per million).

Findings

The reasons why the information was not acted upon appropriately include “dark side” information behaviours (Stone et al., 2019). Many errors and misjudgements could have been avoided by using learnings from previous epidemics, particularly the 1918-1919 flu epidemic when international travel (mainly of troops in First World War) was a prime mode of spreading. It concludes that if similar outbreaks are not to turn into pandemics, much earlier action is needed, mainly closing borders and locking-down.

Research limitations/implications

The research is based on what was known at the time of writing, when the pandemic’s exact origin was uncertain, when some statistics about actions and results were unavailable and when final results were unknown.

Practical implications

Governments faced with early warning signs or pandemics must act much faster.

Social implications

If the next virus is as infectious as SARS-CoV-2 but much more fatal, the world faces disastrous consequences if most governments act as slowly as this time.

Originality/value

This is one of the first analyses of information management practices relating to the pandemic’s early stages.

A stakeholder theory approach to creating value in higher education institutions

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically verify whether the development of improved relationships between higher education institutions (HEIs) and their stakeholders based on the principles of stakeholder theory creates more value.

Design/methodology/approach

The methods involve a quantitative approach, with the data collection being carried out through a survey of 88 heads of HEIs in Brazil. The paper uses the Spearman’s correlation coefficient to analyze the data and test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings reinforce the arguments found in the stakeholder theory literature, in which relationships are based on the following principles: knowledge and information sharing, mutual trust, involvement in the decision-makin g process and alignment of stakeholders’ interests in the strategic planning process, all of which create more value for organizations.

Practical implications

This study seeks to improve the knowledge of stakeholder theory in relation to HEIs. It identifies the stakeholder relationships that create the most value and have the potential to generate a sustainable competitive advantage. The results can help managers to improve their relationships with stakeholders and may encourage the implementation of practices and policies that consider stakeholders’ influence on the strategic direction of HEIs.

Social implications

The studies present a social contribution by evidencing the importance of the development of best practices, processes and strategies in the management of educational institutions, which are important actors in the development of society.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper is that it empirically tests the principles of stakeholder theory and their relationships with value creation for organizations in the higher education context. Whilst stakeholder theory has been explored in multiples contexts, there is a lack of studies addressing stakeholder management in HEIs.

Controlling superprojects – information management requirements

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the problems of managing superprojects and identifies how a different approach to controlling them can reduce the incidence of cost and time overruns and benefit shortfalls.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature review accompanied by conceptual analysis.

Findings

Project cost and timing overruns and benefit shortfalls are very frequent in superprojects. These problems can be ascribed partly to the way in which they are planned is not taken into account in designing and implementing control systems, particularly the governance processes and the information they have available.

Practical implications

This paper has serious implications for those designing control processes, governance and information management for superprojects. It suggests that if a new approach is taken, fewer superprojects will suffer from cost overruns and benefit shortfalls because remedial actions will be taken earlier for projects, which are experiencing problems, while learning will be fed back to those planning new projects.

Social implications

There will be saving of public money and reduced deferment of benefits that normally result from failed or delayed projects and reduced allocation of large incremental budgets dedicated to resolving problems.

Originality/value

The taxonomy of different types of superprojects is original, as is the idea of ambidextrous control, and the diagnosis of failure reasons lying in the nature of control and governance processes, and the lack of relevant information available during the control process.

Impact of consumer information acquisition confidence, social outcome confidence on information search and sharing

Purpose

This study aims to highlight the impact of information acquisition confidence and social outcome confidence on information search and information share intention. Moreover, the role of subjective knowledge is analyzed as a mediating variable among these relations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted a survey which generated 233 valid responses. The data were analyzed using component factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Whereas, to examine the mediating effect, Hayes and Preacher (2008) model for statistical mediation analysis was used.

Findings

The results mainly supported the model by confirming that subjective knowledge, information acquisition confidence and social outcome confidence are positively related to information search intention. No association between information acquisition confidence and information sharing intention was found. The study's findings also suggested a positive association of social outcome confidence, subjective knowledge and information acquisition confidence with information share intention. Moreover, the results revealed that there is a significant and positive mediating effect of subjective knowledge between information acquisition confidence and information search intention. Subjective knowledge also acts as a mediator in the relationship between social outcome confidence and information sharing intention.

Practical implications

This study will be helpful for marketers and policymakers for designing marketing strategies which can enhance the flow of information. Moreover, this study will ensure the importance of information to marketers.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need to study the impact of consumer information acquisition confidence, social outcome confidence on information search and sharing with mediating role of subjective knowledge.