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Introduction
Information Management has become a commonly used word in modern management enterprises systems and has gained lots of advantages over its usage in selected firms. Information management is defined as the acquisition, recording, organizing, storage, dissemination, and retrieval of information. Good information management has been described as getting the right information to the right person in the right format at the right time. (Business Definition for Information Management).
However, the general opinion about information management is that literature does not support the view, but management theorists and practitioners advocate that it is beneficial to corporate. Proper information management can help an organization in the effective communication of information and ideas. Information management or managing information refers to using and managing the information for accomplishing the objectives of the organization. Here the current information management system of the Military of United Arab Emirates (UAE) is analyzed, and a technology-oriented new information management system is recommended. As proper information management has a significant influence on the success of any organization, the UAE military organization also has a system of information management. However, it requires some change to adjust to the present technological advancement of the world. Traditional information management systems used in organizations were almost manual, but today it is difficult to imagine an information management system, which does not make use of technology in one way or the other. The management of information is a challenging task, just like the management of personnel or employees. A full-fledged information management system shows the effectiveness of an organizations efforts in creating an organized information management system, just like proper management of employees shows the effectiveness of the HR management system of an organization. Management of information of a military organization is a little complicated and different when compared to other forms of organization. Most of the information of a military organization is strictly confidential and requires careful management.
Information management and success of an organization
The way of management of information adopted by an organization has much influence on the success of that organization. An efficient information management system helps in planning the overall activities of an organization. Also, the managers who make crucial decisions require different information. If the organization has a good information management system, the decision-makers can make their decision easily correctly. The apt and timely decision is essential for the success of an organization. If an effective information management system exists in an organization, it means that there exists a good flow of communication. In addition, when the organization wants to communicate with the outsiders like the government and other organizations, this can act as a good aid, thereby ensuring timely execution of the plan of action of the organization. If the information is properly organized, it can bring coordination between different departments, which is essential for the success of an organization. If an organization is managing the information in a wise manner, it can easily store, process, and access the information as and when required for the achievement of the organizational goals.
Managing information in a military organization
As stated in the introduction, the management of information of a military organization is different t from the management of information of other organizations. Unlike information management in any business organization, information management in a military organization is different. This is because the fact that majority of the information of a military organization is strictly confidential and requires utmost care when dealing with this information. Therefore, a secured information management system can only ensure and keep the confidentiality of the information. Communication between different persons in different cadres is very important. If the communication is effective and efficient, then it is easy to achieve the objectives of the military and achieve the desired results. For this, military originations follow a well-structured information management system so that it can be used for future purposes also. In times of war, it is essential to analyze the past information and background of the opponent. This is facilitated by a proper information management system.
Military of United Arab Emirates
There are different divisions for UAE Military; they are explained below:
Emirati Army
The headquarters of the army of the United Arab Emirates is situated at Abudhabi. The army has a well-designed structure, and they are equipped in such a way that they are ready to serve the nation when the need arises. There are two infantry brigades in Dubai.
The army mainly uses different arms imported from the United States of America and France. The armys armored capability has been improved as part of the UAEs military modernization program. (Military: Emirati Army).
Emirati Navy
Emirati Navys headquarter is in Abudhabi. Also, the army has facility centers in some other parts of the United Arab Emirates. There is a battalion called the marine battalion in Emirati Navy. Different arms are used by the navy for providing better defense services to the country. The naval aviation department has a number of helicopters that are ready to use as and when required for war purposes. As part of the modernization of the military program, the navy is seeking to improve its blue water capabilities with the construction of six multi-role corvettes and to increase its amphibious capabilities through the attainment of assault and landing craft as well as amphibious armored personnel carriers for its marine battalion. (Military: Emirati Navy).
UAE Air force
The Air force department of receives funds from all seven emirates; these funds are used for the purpose of daily operations of the Air force. Some of the emirates have royal flights. There is a mutual understanding between different states of the country, and they co-operatively control different aircraft and transport systems. There are aircraft for the two regions, namely western command and central command of the Air force. It is also abode to the Abu Dhabi Royal Flight, the AH 64As, the Cougars, and the Puma transports. (UAE Air Force).
IT and non-IT communication in the military sector
Communication is an important part of the functioning of the military service. Compared to other public and private sectors in a country, the military sector transfers confidential data. Therefore, their communication deserves more importance than any other sector. For this purpose, authorities use both IT and non-IT methods. Usage of IT and non-IT methods are based on the situation of the usage and the technology used for the communication and data transfer. These two methods have both advantages and drawbacks. Compared to non-IT communication, IT-based communication and information transfer is secure and safe. The reason is that it can offer sophisticated technologies for protecting the confidentiality of the data. The following part discusses IT and non-IT communication in the military sector and the process of communication. Digital communication is a part of communication with the help of information technology. The digital communication method is used for transferring data with high security in the military. Communication through mobile phones and GPS navigators are commonly used in the military sector. Soldiers carry cell phones, and they can hand over information from one to another or to their superiors and subordinates within seconds. New Communication devices like mobile phones are relevant for the communication process in the military, especially from the hostile zone. The functioning of mobile phones and GPS find their root through computerized traffic signals. For day-to-day purchases in the military, communication from various parts of the military services is essential. The information grid is used for the purchase and its documentation. Some other IT-based methods used in the military for communication are Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) and iPod and pen drives. Military authorities use devices like pen drives, which can store multi-gigabyte of data, to transfer a large volume of data in a confidential manner. (Donnelley).
Apart from the above-mentioned methods, other IT-based communication methods commonly used in the military sector are the Internet, e-mail, videoconferencing, telephone, etc. By using the Internet and e-mail communication, transferring of data can be done rapidly and easily. If the military officers want to inform some matter to more than one subordinate, e-mail is the best choice. IT-based video and voice conferencing is used in the military sector for communicating with people, especially soldiers in different parts of the country and outside the country. According to the website training Links, Video conferencing that meets key security criteria is a crucial command-and-control tool for military commanders, providing the information and situational awareness they need to plan, execute and manage military operations. (Cisco Provides IP-Based Video, Audio, and Web Conferencing for U.S Military Operations World Wide).
Military satellite communication is very popular now. This is also an IT-based communication method, and this is the core part of communication today. Its importance increases when the military force is camping in a foreign territory.
All the above-mentioned points indicate that Information Technology plays an important role in the field of communication in the military sector. Communication through e-mail, mobile phone, videoconferencing, satellite and data, and information transferring through pen drive, CD, iPod, PDA, etc., come under this type of communication.
All kinds of traditional communication methods come under non-IT-based communication. That is communication through letter or by direct meeting etc. In IT-based communication, there is a possibility for loss of data. However, it consumes more time than communication with the help of IT-based mediums. In certain situations, communication through the non-IT medium is preferable and more secure than the IT medium. Sometimes, for getting more authenticity and confidentiality, this type of communication becomes essential. At that time, they used communication methods like telegram, post, and messenger. All these methods need more time and expense.
Data warehousing and access in the military secto
Daily huge amount of data storage and retrieval is done in any military sector. This data may be confidential. The military embedded storage system provides a reliable and large volume of data storage in the ground and air environment, which separate environmental parameters. The military sector establishes a fiber channel and sufficient software platform for this purpose. Major environmental parameters are.
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Labs or fixed ground installations: Generally, commercial technology takes responsibility for this job.
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C41SR aircraft in-cabin: For the functioning of this system, it is a semi-rugged storage subsystem, which requires vibration from the aircraft. For the proper functioning of this system, Hard disk drives are used. This is suitable for reconnaissance aircraft. Here the basic component used is commercial drives by way of semi-rugged packaging.
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C41SR aircraft out-of-cabin: In this category, pieces of equipment are carried in an outer pod. In this aircraft, a hard disk is used with the support of an independent pressurized camber and heating elements. This is useful in aircraft in low-temperature situations.
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Tactical combat platform: Here, solid-state drivers with stable parts are used for data storage. This platform is suitable for fighter aircraft, helicopters, and tanks.
An embedded military system uses COTS packaging for the right delivery of storage products with relevant operational features. A disk interface is essential here, and Fibre Channel (FC) is applicable for it. Using FC has some advantages. It provides an invariable duty-cycle function in heavy transactional storage situations; it has effective scaling between different Storage Area Networks (SAN) and connection among facts recorders, and disk drives are very fast in it.
In the military, the storage and retrieval of data should be robust and consistent. The embedded military system provides all these features. Because of this reason, military sectors prefer this system for their data storage and retrieval. (Bohman).
Information flow in the organization and decision-making
If a proper flow of information exists, the management of information would be an easy task. Mainly three kinds of information flow exist in the military organization. They can be as follows: minimum, adequate, and excessive. In minimal information flow, there is minimum interaction between the members or participants involved in the network. In this communication, the benefits would be less, as there is no continuous flow of information or interaction. Inadequate information flow, there is no unnecessary communication or flow of information, but there is only a flow of required or apt information, thereby ensuring better results. In excessive information flow, there is an excessive flow of information in which there will be unnecessary information resulting in high cost as it requires the processing of all the information that is flown. Therefore, it is better to have a network of communication or information flow in which there is adequate information flow. It is already mentioned that the relevant information is required for taking various organizational decisions, whatever be the nature of the organization, whether it be a military organization or non-military organization. If there is a proper flow of information, then only the management or top authorities can take the appropriate decision. The information needs to be flown from bottom to top as well as top to bottom. Decisions are to be taken in war times as well as in peace times. The nature of decisions in war times and non-war times would be different. In war times, quick decisions need to be taken in no time. Proper communication is significant, especially at the time of war in the military organization for communicating the development in the war and for the corporation. (Bobby. F).
Issues in the present information system of UAE military service
An example of information flow in the UAE military is as follows: Usually, the organization follows a systematic procedure. For example, the details of the meeting of the top management need to be communicated to the bottom level staff; this information is first stored in the storage system that the organization has. Then, the bottom-level staff, using the access code provided to them, accesses this information in a systematic manner. The information flown in the organization should only be a valid one which the top-level authority has the responsibility for checking the validity of the information. The relevant and presently required information is flown under this system. The authenticity of the information is also ensured as the source of information is clearly mentioned at the end of the information. The information is passed only after checking the accuracy of the information, and utmost security is ensured as different security measures are used for the transmission and access of information.
During the recent war, a need arose for top management to communicate some important matters to the bottom level as well as to the armies regarding the war details. However, it was experienced that proper information did not reach the concerned parties. A complaint reached the management desk about the redundancy of the data and the inadequate information obtained by the armies and staff.
Findings
From the above-said example and analyzing the present information system of UAE military services, we can reach the following findings:
The timing of the flow of information in the present system is reliable. The only factor which requires more focus is on improving the efficiency of the current system with respect to sufficiency in storage capacity, security, etc. The UAE military has to store a lot of information, and these have to be flown from one to another. During the information flow, there arises a data loss due to insufficient data storage capacity of the server. A lot of information has to be stored in the system coming from management and from other sources. Strict checking on the validity of the information from other sources like logistics, personnel data, application files, books, manuals, etc., is required before storing it.
In addition, it was seen that a direct link should be created between the server, management, armies, and staff.
Recommendation letter addressing the advantages of the new system and the key issues of the present system
Report to the Senior Manager
Subject: Key issues of Present management information system and the benefits of the proposed information system for UAE military services
Make no mistake; information security is one of the most important military issues of the 21st century. (The Importance of Military Information Security John Keller, Editor in Chief) An analysis of the present information system has been analyzed for reviewing the complaint received at the management desk. From the analysis, it is judged that the current system lacks sufficient storage capacity due to the entry and storage of invalid information in the webserver. It also requires coordination between the server and different sources. A new information repository and controller system along with a server is proposed as a solution. The working of this system can be as follows: the information flow from the server is the same as the previous system, but change occurs only in the inflow and storage of information towards the system. The following figure shows the outline of the proposed system.
In the proposed system, data entering is done in two ways. In the case of management professionals, data is directly entered into the server, and from there, the server transfers it to the information repository and controller system for permanent storage, and from there, data is transferred as and when required. The data from other sources like logistics, personnel data, etc., are directly entered into the information repository and controller system. In this system, username and password limit the entry of information into the system as the user wants to log in with his username and password for data entry. After the entry of the information and before storing it, the information repository and controller system check the validity of the information. This system may comprise a data processing apparatus and different storage media for storing, based on different classes of information. In the first step, the data processing apparatus identifies the contents in the files entered. If any duplication occurs, the redundant data are deleted to enhance the validity of the information stored in the system. In the second step, files are classified according to the nature of the information. In the third stage, permanent storage of one copy of the content is done. If the information is required urgently, a request is passed from the server to the information repository and controller system, and the information is passed according to the request. Based on the urgent nature of the information entered, the system transfers it to the server and gives direction to the management.
Advantages of the proposed information repository and controller system
The overall functioning of the organization, mainly in the areas of security, the accuracy of the information can be enhanced with the help of the proposed system. It helps in improving the storage capacity of the server. Checking the validity of the data through the data processing apparatus helps in eliminating redundant data in the server. The validity of the data is essential because of the reason that if the data are not valid, the decision based on such data goes wrong. Quick and reliable information flow is possible as the urgent data gives a signal to the server for transferring the information to the concerned people. It improves the quality of the decision of the management, as only valid information is stored. Adequate information is passed to the concerned individual to ensure the accuracy and adequateness of the information. Data loss during the information flow is eliminated. Coordination of all activities is done with the combined working of web server and information repository and controller system.
Conclusion
If an organization is properly managing the different information passed through the organization, it can ensure success. The timely and apt decision has a significant role in the success of an organization, and the said decisions are taken on the basis of different information available. The management information system provides several benefits to the organization despite the nature of the business in which it is involved. It helps in the decision-making and communication process, which exist in the organization. In the case of military organizations, an information system is very much essential due to the confidential nature of information passed from one source to another. Change Management means one of two thingsdealing with unwanted or unexpected change due to circumstances beyond control (reactive), or taking steps to bring about deliberate change (proactive). Todays military services are challenged on both fronts as they face dynamic battlefield logistics and ever-changing technology. (The Challenge of Change. (Military Service Change Management)). It may be concluded that the proposed information system helps to recover from the problems of the present system and to improve the system.
Works Cited
Bobby. F, Brashears. Building a Communications Feedback System in the Military Organization. DTIC: Defense Technical Information Center. 1973.
Bohman, T. Military Data Storage: Tough Enough for Duty. Hardware beyond the Backplane: Systems Issues. 2006.
Business Definition for: Information Management. BNET. 2009. Web.
Cisco Provides IP-Based Video, Audio and Web Conferencing for U.S Military Operations World Wide. Skip Pratts Training Links. 2005.
Donnelley, Harrison. Q& A: Lieutenant General Keith B. Alexander. Military Information Technology: The Voice of Military Communications and Computing. 2009.
Emirati Forces. Global Security.org. 2009.
Military: Emirati Army. Global Security. Org. 2009.
Military: Emirati Navy. Global Security. Org. 2009.
The Challenge of Change. (Military Service Change Management). Encyclopedia.com. 2005. Web.
The Importance of Military Information Security John Keller, Editor in Chief. Military & Aer Space Electronics. 2009.
UAE Air Force. 2009.
United Arab Emirates- Armed Forces. Encyclopedia of the Nations. 2009.
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