Internal and external flows of information in industrial companies

Abstract

Internal information is being produced and used up within the company. Its source is formed by documents of any kind which have been produced as a result of the company's activities. Its flow may be vertical and horizontal. The former may be exemplified by the downward flow of decisions and by the upward flow of Information assisting decision-making processes, while the latter may be described as information transfer between the individual productive units.

The information system, then, forms an organic part of the company's organizational structure: mutual information on an adequate level is the basis of cooperation between organizational units. It should, therefore, be planned simultaneously with the company's structure. With the task of the company changed, the system of information channels should also be changed since the very nature of information flowing in them has also undergone a transformation.

Without the sound functioning of the information system, the fulfilment of plans at an appropriate pace and the overcoming of obstacles in the company's operation cannot be imagined.

Besides, the company's staff have to be kept informed on the interrelationship between their own work and the results achieved or expected to be achieved by the company. This is particularly important in the socialist relations of production. However, the constant lack of time of the company leaders on the one hand, and the improper development of internal relations on the other hand may throw obstacles in the way of this Information process.

External information includes every piece of information or news that affects the company whether it comes from outside or is produced within the company but flows out of it. This flow, again, may be vertical (connection with superior authorities or agencies) and horizontal (cooperation; suppliers). Technical, economic and scientific information also belongs to this category. Flowing to the company, such information may advise about developments of the given field, while flowing from the company, it informs of the company's results. In order to make sure that such information is processed in a planned and systematic way, a department of scientific, technical and economic information has to be set up within the company, information of various topic and form pooled by this department has to be selected carefully and prepared appropriately for use in the individual organizational units of the company. Within the company, designing offices, technological and engineering departments, economic, planning and organizing units require indicative information, or more specifically, – based on it - an appropriately selective but comprehensive coverage, while the company's management should be supplied with analytical information.

Internal and external Information in a given field meet when results achieved inside and outside the company are being compared.

This process results in decision, that la, la internal information.

In Poland the methodology of technical information is the most elaborate. Economic and organizational information is only peripheral. The sound operation of the company's units is possible only if all the three kinds of information channels are built up, that is, if an adequate information system exists within the company.