Data, Information and Knowledge

There have been these misunderstanding, misuse and trying to distinguish between data, information and Knowledge. However, different writers and authors came up with the ideas that the use of data, information and knowledge depends on the end user.

Data
Different scholars came up with definitions of data. According to Harris (1996) and Avison and Fitzgerald (1995) they have similar views about data as "the lowest level of known fact and unstructed fact".

Davenport and Prusak (1998) defines data as essential raw material for the creation of information.

Data can be defined as raw and unprocessed fact.
Example: In Nokia organization the defective records of manufactured phones in the production process is data. The records from the process are raw .

The above example justifies Davenport and Prusak definition of data.


Information.
Information according to Harris(1996) are sorted, grouped, analyzed, and interpreted data. Marshall(1997) and Davenport and Prusak(1998) have similar views on information, i.e information to some persons can be knowledge and vice-vase.

For example, if Nokia phone organization takes record of all there monthly sales(data) and put it down in a processed form as (information) charts or graphs. These charts or graphs will help Nokia organization to have the knowledge on when to invest more on their products to certify
there customers demand against the coming season and for a common man it could be an information or data.Therefore, Information are processed data.

Knowledge
Many authors has the word knowledge as not been static, it is interchanged for information.
Davenport et al. (1998) sees knowledge as information combine with context, experience, interpretation, and reflection. Marshall (1997) views knowledge as understanding, interpreting and applying information to a specific work function.

In Practice

Using the above example to illustrate, when Nokia organization have knowledge of their customers demand, meaning they have been able to use the experience and understanding of the past to interpret, reflect and predict for the future business plan. Here, knowledge will come to play because it will help the organization or company to have a competitive advantage over others in the next season.



References

• Avison, D.E and Fitzgerald, G. (1995) Information Systems Development: methodlogies,techonologies, tool, 2nd edn,McGraw-Hill, London.
• Davenprt, T.H, Delong, D.w and Beer, M.C. (1998) 'Successful Knowledge Management projects', Sloan Management Review, 39(2): 43-57
• Davenport, T.H and Prusak, L. (1998) Working knowledge, Boston, Harvard Business School Press, MA.
• Harris, D.B (1996) 'Creating a Knowledge Centric Information Technology Enviroment', Technology in Education Institute, http://www.dbharris.com/ckc.htm , 15 September.
• Marshall, L. (1997) 'Facilitating Knowledge Management and Knowledge Sharing. New Opportunities for Information professionals, Online, Vol 21 No5, Pp 92-98.