Information as an organizational asset: assessment of a public organization’s capabilities in Turkey

Abstract

This study aims to establish the importance for institutions to assess their information assets as a value in the context of such matters as increased competitive advantage, improved managerial processes, and adaptation to new managerial approaches. In line with this purpose, the study addresses the effects of the evaluation of information assets. Within the scope of the study, a checklist about organizational information assets (such as emails, web content and physical records and electronic records) was developed and it was applied to a large-scale public institution with decision-making authorities with respect to general health policies and practices of Turkey. The study reached findings pertaining to the practices undertaken for information assets within a large-scale public institution at the decision-making level in the field of health in Turkey. At this point, the institution was identified to be able to cover the basic level of records management to a significant extent, but to suffer from shortcomings in sophisticated information management and collaborative practices. On the basis of this observation, the institution was emphasised to be in need of improvements concerning human resources and decision-making practices. The study results also reflect the importance of the assessments for information assets held by institutions.