Responsibility and Accountability for Information Asset Management (IAM) in Organisations

Abstract

Abstract: The key resources that need to be effectively deployed to meet business objectives are Financial Assets, Human Assets, Physical Assets and Information Assets (IA). Information Assets are a critical business resource for most organisations, yet they are typically poorly managed and the potential, tangible benefits from improving the management of these assets are seldom realised. Business governance refers to the decisions that must be made to ensure effective business management and also to who makes these decisions, i.e. who is responsible and accountable. Very little research has been undertaken on the role and responsibilities of various stakeholders in information asset management. This paper reports on qualitative research via confidential interviews that were conducted with C‑level executives and Board members of Australian and South African organisations in both private and public sectors, to identify their perceptions of who is responsible and accountable for the management of Information Assets in their organisations. The research found that the information management decisions that must be made, and by whom, is often not clear in these organisations Responsibility and accountability is therefore inappropriately imposed.