Businesses Need to Be Knowledgeable about Information Literacy to Warrant Better Performance - Research Paper Example

Scholarship, Practice, and Leadership Information literacy is defined as the capability of a person to recognize the information that he or she needs, and to locate, critically analyze, and implement it. Information literacy enables a person to achieve goals in an effective way. The aim of information literacy is to locate and utilize the information needed; its importance in the field of research is increasingly being accentuated. Due to the rapid pace of development, information is available in a diverse assortment of forms and with varying levels of credibility. Information literacy is significant in filtering reliable information and using it according to the needs of the research. Information literacy is crucial for long-term learning and helps people apply theoretical knowledge into practice. Information literacy is practiced in various fields to achieve excellence in the task being performed. It consists of five fundamental steps. The first two steps include gaining knowledge about the nature of information required, and effective retrieval of the information from disparate sources; the remaining steps include a critical analysis of the retrieved information and establishment of its credibility, application of the knowledge into practice, and the use of this information within the circles of morality and ethics. Information literacy plays an integral role in every field, particularly in health care and education. With the unprecedented rise in challenges to leadership like new cultures, markets, and business environments, it is necessary for professionals to have an acute understanding of information literacy and its applications in their respective fields (Smith, 2009). Enterprise Project Management Office (EPMO) uses information literacy to improve upon scholarship, practice and leadership. EPMO is an organization serving to standardize and improve project management skills to assist the company in managing its affairs. An effective leader integrates both scholarship and practice in producing a resource that encompasses the characteristics of both the theory and its practicability. Also, the organization has constructed its approach on this three-fold ideology of integrating leadership, practice, and scholarship together in obtaining a mix that promotes business research and effective management (Symond, 2009). Gill Nicholls (2005) outlook on scholarship involves reflection and dissemination, engaging the academic community through communication, peer evaluation, and peer critique (p. 140). EPMO gains scholarship by reading literary works. These works are aimed to improve theoretical knowledge and revise management techniques that assist professionals in their conduct. EPMO enhances its practice by integrating the knowledge gained by literary works into practice. Through scholarship, the organization assesses its performance, and by subsequent practice, it endorses the principles of improvement to promote the performance of the parent organization. EPMO is aware that scholarship and practice have little impact if the leadership is not strong enough. The organization reports exemplary leadership styles, which provides a framework for colleagues to research these styles and intersperse them in their professional conduct. Hence, there is a cycle that repeats itself; as evolved theory practiced by leaders is re-applied by counterparts, it matures into successful leadership and is further reapplied (Symonds, 2009). Badke’s (2009) article, How we Failed the Net Generation, is a good example of the importance of information literacy in researches and the skill level of students in relation to the retrieval of information using technology and the Internet. Technology provides access to various types of information regardless of its credibility. Badke (2009) wrote that students in scholarship research were not capable enough to retrieve information that was reliable. Furthermore, they failed to regard academic libraries as more reliable and credible sources of information than the Web. Majority of the students associated research with Google and used any website that they thought relevant as a credible source of information; they began considering the Internet as the new library, which had implications on the accuracy of their research. The article deduced that students are not taught in detail how to differentiate between reliable and incredible web sources; thus, Google has become the predominant mode for research in university settings. Therefore, Badke (2009) suggests making information literacy foundational rather than remedial. Badke’s article brings into light the problems associated with poor knowledge of information literacy and its subsequent repercussions on the scholarly research of the students. Students are not adept at retrieving information and their increasing dependence on the Internet has compromised the viability of their research. Pia Russell’s (2009) article is a sound critical analysis of the problems of lack of information literacy. She accentuates that information literacy is a requisite in scholarly circles. Students do not have an understanding of the elements that encompass good-quality scholarly information. They face problems locating and retrieving reliable sources of information, often falling prey to marketing-oriented commercial websites and other non-reliable resources. With the large amounts of information available, the need for a synthesis mind that integrates and coheres information becomes all the more important (Russell, 2009). Stress has been put on the teaching of information literacy and effective methods of knowledge retrieval as part of the module. Thus, an approach should be adopted that emphasizes synthesis and discipline-specific frameworks and equip the students with the tool they require the most: information literacy. Turusheva’s article (2009) delineates the long term impact of information literacy and discusses the influence of low levels of information literacy on the competency of the students and their scholarly research. She asserts that students who are fresh entrants in the course often tend to rely on easy modes of research like the web. Therefore, the quality of information is compromised. Information competency is established by developing it during the course of studies, employing effective pedagogical methods, and the repeating the practice of locating and evaluating information. In fact, scholarly information competency is essential on all levels of schooling. The aforementioned examples serve as tools to stress upon the importance of information literacy and its effect on scholarship, practice and leadership. These three disciplines are closely linked. Theory and practice need to be linked to instill leadership qualities in individuals (Lussier & Achua, 2009). In conclusion, individuals and businesses need to be knowledgeable about information literacy to warrant better performance. References Badke, W. (2009). How We Failed the Net Generation. Trinity Western University, ONLINE, 33 (4), 47-9. Lussier, R. N. & Achua, C. F. (2009). Leadership: Theory, Application, & Skill Development (4th ed.). Ohio, OH: Cengage Learning. Nicholls, G. (2005). The challenge to scholarship: rethinking learning, teaching, and research. Oxon: Routledge. Russell, P. (2009). Why Universities Need Information Literacy More Than Ever. Feliciter, 55 (3), 92-4. Smith, R. (2009). Servant Leadership. Retrieved from http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Servant-Leadership/398106 Symonds, R., (2009). How Information Literacy Influences Scholarship, Practice, and Leadership in the Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO). Retrieved from http://www.robertsymonds.com/uploads/RJSymonds__IL-EPMO_v08062009-02_.pdf Turusheva, L. (2009). Student’s Information Competence and its Importance in Life-Long Learning. Problems of Education in the 21st century, 12, 126-132. Read More