The Practice of Information Resource Management in Australian Government Organisations

Abstract

The concept of Information Resource Management (IRM) was introduced in the mid-1970’s by the United States federal government as part of its attempt to reduce the paperwork burden on the general public. Since then, the concept of IRM has evolved and taken on many meanings and diverse interpretations ranging from technical perspectives to purely “Information Management” perspectives. These diverse interpretations, at least in the Australian context, have held back the successful implementation of IRM in practice. As part of a larger program of research on IRM, a survey of IS/IT executives in some national and state public sector organisations was conducted. The survey revealed a lack of penetration of IRM in Australian public sector organisations, a pattern of mixed success and even a lack of awareness of IRM.