Information Science and the Foundation of Knowledge 27
within organizations. It has since matured into a major field of management and is now an important area of research in management studies. Moreover, information science has expanded its scope to examine the human–computer interaction, interfac ing, and interaction of people, ISs, and corporations. It is taught at all major universi ties and business schools worldwide.
Modernday organizations have become intensely aware of the fact that informa tion and knowledge are potent resources that must be cultivated and honed to meet their needs. Thus information science or the study of ISs—that is, the application and usage of knowledge—focuses on why and how technology can be put to best use to serve the information flow within an organization.
Information science impacts information interfaces, influencing how people inter act with information and subsequently develop and use knowledge. The information a person acquires is added to his or her knowledge base. Knowledge is the awareness and understanding of an information set and ways that information can be made use ful to support a specific task or arrive at a decision.
Healthcare organizations are affected by and rely on the evolution of information science to enhance the recording and processing of routine and intimate information while facilitating humantohuman and humantosystems communications, delivery of healthcare products, dissemination of information, and enhancement of the organiza tion’s business transactions. Unfortunately, the benefits and enhancements of informa tion science technologies have also brought to light new risks, such as glitches and loss of information and hackers who can steal identities and information. Solid leadership, guidance, and vision are vital to the maintenance of costeffective business performance and cuttingedge, safe information technologies for the organization. This field studies all facets of the building and use of information. The emergence of information science and its impact on information have also influenced how people acquire and use knowledge.
Information science has already had a tremendous impact on society and will undoubtedly expand its sphere of influence further as it continues to evolve and inno vate human activities at all levels. What visionaries only dreamed of is now pos