Moving forward in 1999

We have been talking about the changes, now you see them. It is our pleasure to reintroduce you to ARMA International's professional journal: The Information Management Journal (formerly Records Management Quarterly).

As you might imagine, adopting a new name for a professional journal after 32 years is not something an association does lightly. Indeed, there was lengthy deliberation by ARMA's RMQ Editorial Board, Publication Coordination Committee, and Board of Directors. In August it was agreed that the name would change in 1999.

There were several reasons for changing the title. Most importantly, this new name reflects the evolution and expansion of both the association and the field. The association has grown tremendously in membership over the years, from a few hundred in the United States and Canada in the 1950s, to approximately 10,000 in 39 countries today. Our members' professional responsibilities have become increasingly diverse as well. Therefore, it seems appropriate that this publication's content, appearance, and title should reflect the expanding demands facing the information professionals who comprise our reader base.

This broadening of the Journal's scope reflects the fact that successful information professionals must now understand, apply, and lead in areas beyond, or in addition to, records management. They are faced with a multifaceted set of challenges within the dynamic field of information management.

The term "information management" is an inclusive, or umbrella, designation that covers allied disciplines such as records management, archives management, electronic information systems, knowledge management, and corporate librarianship. "Information management" (IM) is an interdisciplinary field focusing on the application of management principles and appropriate technologies to the production, coordination, acquisition, organization, representation, control, dissemination, use, and ultimate disposition of information, whatever the format, of internal or external origins, leading to the more effective functioning or operations of organizations of all kinds. As a resource management discipline, IM also addresses the value, quality, ownership, and security of information in the context of organizational performance. An essential element of all information management disciplines is the understanding and application of management techniques (e.g., cost-benefit analysis, cost analysis, cost-efficiency studies).

So our new title, in many ways, is about the field's inevitable future. Long-term socio-economic trends strongly suggest that there may be fewer information professionals in organizations and that those who prevail must be able to understand and do more than ever before. For instance, many who began careers in records management now find themselves in charge of libraries, archival collections, and disaster recovery as well. Being knowledgeable about areas cognate to records management and emergent areas (e.g., competitor intelligence, strategic information systems) may make the difference between success or failure for those who have long called themselves "records managers."

Some topical areas beyond "records" that information professionals must now address are:

Document management systems

Knowledge management

Business process reenginering

Strategic information services

Disaster recovery programs

Data mining

LANs, WANs, Internet, intranets

Digital signatures/encryption

Electronic imaging

Competitor intelligence

Information retrieval systems

Groupware use in IM

Geographic information systems

Information ecologies

Multi-media management

Information theory

Many of these concepts and terms were unknown to the readers of Records Management Quarterly when that title was adopted in 1966.

Another change in scope is occurring in the Book Review section in response to our readers' requests for information about a variety of available knowledge resources. Starting with the April 1999 issue, our review section will become "In Review," and, instead of one review of one book, it will offer four to six reviews on books and other media.

In Review will feature evaluations of a wide variety of tools and events related to the management of records, information, and knowledge. Included in this new focus will be the application of key management techniques that support IM disciplines (e.g., project management, cost-benefit studies). In addition to reviews on books, the scope is being expanded to include white papers, software, imaging products, videos, CD-ROMs, Web sites, and conferences.

Our readers' suggestions are both important and appreciated. Send your feedback and suggestions on items for review to In Review Editor April Dmytrenko at april_dmytrenko@spe.sony.com

In addition to being responsive to the intellectual needs of our readers, we also have an obligation to the association and its members in financial areas. To that end, we are making every effort to increase revenue and reduce costs - while also increasing quality.

Where do we go from here? Now that the new look and title have made their appearance, the focus will be on content. One way to improve the quality of the Journal is through peer review of manuscripts. This process will help us continue to improve the journal's content by bringing knowledgeable but independent thinkers into the decision process as manuscript evaluators. In addition to recommending which manuscripts should be published, our evaluators will make useful suggestions for improving good manuscripts.

Executive Editor J. Michael Pemberton, PhD, CRM, FAI, and Associate Editor Julie Gable, CDIA, expect to begin this process during the publication year. This means that manuscripts submitted for publication will be evaluated by at least two subject reviewers. It will be a "blind" review process; thus reviewers will not know the name or affiliations of the author(s) whose manuscripts they are evaluating.

There also will be special guest-edited issues, such as the upcoming April issue on the future of information management (guest edited by William Benedon, CRM, FAI) and the July issue on information technology (guest edited by John Phillips, CRM). In the future there will be theme issues on knowledge management, legal issues, ethical concerns, and other topics of growing interest among our readers. Occasionally, we may reprint an article whose value extends well beyond the time period in which it was published.

In the meantime, we hope you enjoy this issue. It features some important topics addressed at the 1998 ARMA International Conference in Houston, Texas. It also includes the annual index of articles and condensed guidelines for writing in the Journal.

We are excited about the future for this professional periodical and hope you share in that excitement. But as we have said before, this is not something we can do alone. The efforts of the Journal's editorial board will focus on the needs and interests of the Journal's readers. We need your feedback, your participation. We want to know how we are doing in addressing your interests.

We are also confident that our new directions will prompt you and your colleagues to consider the Journal an attractive and stimulating vehicle for publication. The author E.M. Forster said, "I write to gain the respect of those whom I respect." It may be time in the professional lives of many to take their careers toward that next level of credibility and stature through writing for professional publications. We believe that the Journal can - and should - be an important part of that plan. Here's to a successful New Year!

Copyright Association of Records Managers and Administrators Inc. Jan 1999
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved