The influence of organizational culture on information governance effectiveness
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-09-2018-0033 |
| Published date | 11 March 2019 |
| Date | 11 March 2019 |
| Pages | 18-41 |
| Author | Ali Daneshmandnia |
The influence of organizational
culture on information
governance effectiveness
Ali Daneshmandnia
Long Island University CW Post College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Brookville,
New York, USA
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to explore the impactof organizational culture on information governance (IG)
effectiveness at highereducation institutions (HEIs). IT professionals,such as chef information officers, chief
technology officers, chief information security officers and IT directors at HEIs were surveyed and
interviewed to learn about whether organizational culture influences IG effectiveness. Several IG activities
(processes) were identified, including information security, the function of an IG council, the presence of a
Record Information Managementdepartment, the role of a compliance officer and informationstewards and
the use of an automatedsystem or software to identify and maintaininformation life-cycle management.
Design/methodology/approach –This study was conducted using Cameron and Quinn’s (Cameron
and Quinn, 2011) competingvalue framework. To evaluate organizationalculture, using the competing value
framework, four types of organizational culture profiles were used: collaboration, creation/innovation,
controlling/hierarchy, and competition/result-oriented. The methodology included quantitative and
qualitative techniques through the use of content analysis of data collected from participants. IT
professionals, such as chef informationofficers, chief technology officers, chief information security officers
and IT directors at HEIs were surveyed and interviewed to learn about whether organizational culture
influencesIG effectiveness.
Findings –Findings revealed organizational culture may influence IG effectiveness positively, especially
from cultures of competition/result-oriented and control/hierarchy. Qualitatively, it also emerged that
competition/result-oriented and control characteristics of organizational culture were perceived by IG
professionals to producemore accurate information. One of the characteristics of organizational culture that
became evident in the current study,coming from more than one subject, was the challenge in IG due to the
presence of informationsilos. Trust, on the other hand, has been highlighted as the glue which can enable and
drive governanceprocesses in an organization.
Research limitations/implications –The current study was conducted based on HEIs. While the
current study serves as a baseline for studyingIG in other institutions, its results cannot be generalized for
other type of institutions. The resultscannot be generalized for other types of not-for-profit or for-profit
organizations. Many of the characteristics of the sampledata were specific to HEIs. For instance, financial,
manufacturingand health-care institutions present challengesinherent in those institutions.
Originality/value –Trust has been highlighted as the glue which can enable and drive governance
processes in anorganization. Respondents of current studyhave indicated that trust serving severaldifferent
factors toward IG effectiveness, including freedom to speak freely in the meeting about impact of
organizationalculture on IG, wiliness of executives of administration,particularly the CIO, to communicate IG
matters to institution, sharing information and being transparent, entrusting help desk staff and technical
supervisors so userscan communicate with them and share their concerns and perceiving “feelingof trust”in
the organization, whichwould benefit the institution, allowing stakeholders to collaborateand work together
to overcomeissues when facing IG challenges.
Keywords Organizational Culture, Information Culture, Chief Information Officer (CIO),
Information Governance effectiveness, Information Governance of Higher Education Institution,
Information Governance Processes
Paper type Research paper
RMJ
29,1/2
18
Received24 September 2018
Revised16 November 2018
Accepted12 December 2018
RecordsManagement Journal
Vol.29 No. 1/2, 2019
pp. 18-41
© Emerald Publishing Limited
0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/RMJ-09-2018-0033
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0956-5698.htm
Introduction
This study intends to explore the impact of organizational culture on information
governance (IG) in privateand public higher education institutions (HEIs). Part of a broader
study of IG at HEIs, it discusses the impact of IG determinants. This study is a survey of
chief information officers (CIOs)and other key information officers. Those participantswho
responded to the questionnaire and who were willing were individually interviewed. The
participants’institutions were all members of the Middle State (Mid-Atlantic as of 2013)
Region on Higher Education, better known as the Middle State Commission on Higher
Education (MSCHE).
The role of the CIO in promoting and communicating IG will be discussed. HEIs, much
the same as health-care organizations, capture an abundant amount of confidential
information. Shortcomings and gaps that apply to IG in HEIs will be identified and
solutions, from the position of thekey information officers (e.g. CIOs), will be explored.
Finally, this study can reveal IG characteristics that might be specifictoHEIs,
characteristicsthat otherwise might not be recognized.
Governance has been defined as “the exercise of authority of the distribution of power”
(Valaskakis, 2001, p. 47). Governance has also been discussed in terms of structures, legal
relations, authority patterns, rights and responsibilities and decision-making processes
(Birnbaum, 1988).
Perri (2001) explains that one of the most important features of good governance is
judgment. Good governance has the following core components: accountability,
participation, predictability, transparency, and efficiency (Burns, 2004). As policymakers
make use of technology in exercising governance,the key challenge is to select and manage
those technologies to cultivate theskill of judgment among policymakers (e.g. the CIO).
Governance of informationrequires the capabilities of decision-making and authority.It also
requires tools ortechniques to oversee communication and monitorIG in the HEIs.
People research, develop,manage and regulate IG with the aid of technology. Thus, IG as
it relates to activitiesthat take place in an organization is concernedwith the following:
promotion of technique (technological and organizational innovations);
identification of risks according to key players (stakeholders, CIO, etc.); and
employment of rules to govern information practices as they correspond with
internal and external guidelines.
Promotion of technique refers to technological innovations in managing and maintaining
oversight of IG. These techniques are usually information policies and computer systems
that are interconnected and present opportunities in gathering information and applying
and controlling governance. These techniques, however, do not replace people who are
overseeing implementationofIG. Ultimately, key individuals such as the CIO use judgment
and foresight to deploy IG.
HEIs manage student funds andmust follow similar compliance requirements as health-
care institutions in regard to keeping information (belonging to students, facultyand other
employees) confidentiality, privacy and security. Additionally, HEIs are faced with the
emergence of Big Data, and they must manage raw data effectively. Big Data bringsboth
opportunity and cost. Organizationsare increasingly faced with the decision of what to keep
and what to dispose of when informationis determined no longer to have business value and
how to reduce the risk of liability.
Kooper et al. (2011) emphasize IG involving three actors: the creator of information, the
receiver of information and the governing actor. All three are needed to implement IG;
Information
governance
effectiveness
19
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