Information management: towards a proposal for a current and consensual definition for the term

ABSTRACT Information Management (IM) is a necessity in several organizational contexts and this requirement extends to processes and their respective information flows. However, from literature consulted, it is noted that there is no practical and practical consensus on what IM is and what are its characteristics. Under this argument, the proposition of this study is justified. This article aims to raise the theoretical and conceptual aspects of IM by proposing a current and consensual definition for this term. Methodologically, at first, a bibliographic research on the principles and foundations of IM was carried out. In a second moment, based on Dahlberg's Theory of Concept and on the UNISIST indexing principles, a current and consensual definition for IM was proposed. The following question was answered: considering the theoretical and conceptual panorama, what are the essential characteristics to propose a definition for IM term? As a result, it was found that IM is related to the information life cycle management, information flows, organizational management and information and communication technology. It is hoped that the advances provided by this study bring light and be used by professionals and the academic community, whether in the improvement of theory or in organizational practice related to IM.

摘要 信息管理（Information Management, IM）是诸多组织场景中的必要环节，该需求亦延伸至业务流程及其对应的信息流。然而，经查阅现有文献可知，学界尚未就信息管理的定义与核心特征达成普遍共识。基于此，本研究的立论依据得以成立。本文旨在阐述信息管理的理论与概念内涵，并为该术语提出兼具时效性与共识性的定义。方法论层面，本研究首先开展了针对信息管理原则与理论基础的文献调研；其次，依托达尔伯格概念理论（Dahlberg's Theory of Concept）与UNISIST标引原则，为信息管理构建了兼具时效性与共识性的定义。本研究解答了如下问题：结合当前理论与概念全景，信息管理的定义需涵盖哪些核心特征？研究结果显示，信息管理与信息生命周期管理、信息流、组织管理以及信息与通信技术（Information and Communication Technology）密切相关。本研究期望其研究成果能够为相关领域提供启发与支撑，助力专业人士与学术群体优化信息管理相关的理论研究与组织实践。