Chapter 4

INFORMATION GENERATION AND

COMMUNICATION
—— Chapter 4 . ... — ~ Information generation and Communication ■—

CHAPTER 4

INFORMATION GENERATION AND COMMUNICATION

4.1 Information System

4.1.1 Introduction

Information is any piece of knowledge, which serves as a basis for

decision-making. Information is made up of bits of messages. Information is a
knowledgeable representation of data and is indispensable, without which
education system cannot operate and succeed. When an engineer begins to think to
convert the abstract into concrete giving due weight age to all the parameters
involved such as scientific, technical, economic or social fields, a variety of
images and sensations flash across engineers mind and engineer may retains some
piece of knowledge. This piece of knowledge is the engineering information.

A study by Reneken1 (1993) observed that information generally is very

vital for man cannot do without it, so it became part of the human need.
Information is an important factor in any society, be it a professional or for any
other reasons. Information is the most crucial resource for development of
individual and nations. According to Turner2 (1988) information is a key resource
that can bring about change and improvement in the society. Information has been
considered as an important resource playing considerable in socio economic
development of society. According to Norman3 (1986) information is one form or
another has consistently been a significant element in the development of human
society and that has shaped over a long period of time, the way in which we think
and act. Information brings people and thoughts together. It is the exchange of
ideas, news and data that makes a society.

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4.1.2 Data, Information and Knowledge

For the discipline of information systems, Data is any symbol, sign or

measure, which is in a form, which can be directly captured by a person or a
machine. The sign or record of a fact or figures or an event are also called data.
Data is processed and analysed to generate information that is meaningful and
knowledgeable.

The information is quite different from data. The data have value only it
becomes information. Information has more meaning than data. Information as the
processed form of data or in other words, information is data that has value.

Sadagopan4 (2002) clears the difference, information provides insight into

situations using data culled from the processes that characterize the situations.
Obviously, information systems showed concentrate on information and not
merely on data.

The word knowledge can be defined as a body of facts and principles

accumulated by mankind in the course of time. Alter5 (1999) describes knowledge
is a combination of instincts, idea, rules, and procedures that guide actions and
decisions. Knowledge represents information that can be potentially useful in
future decision situations. Still there is difficulty in distinguishing data from
information or knowledge, however, because a certain data element may be
information to a user at one time and knowledge to the same user at a different
time or place.

4.1.3 Information Definition

Information is a vital commodity, an amorphous concept, less susceptible

for a precise definition, but every one has to deal with it in many ways throughout

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one’s life. Indeed, Crawford6 (1978) has described information as the fifth need of
human beings ranking after air, water, food and shelter.

Yates7 (1973) describes information as the right lubricant for the right
action. According to him, in any task of turning ideas into action.

Nazim and Jawaid (2004) describes information as;

• Knowledge is that / know
• Information is what we know, i.e., Shared knowledge
• Communication is the importing or interchange of information by
speech, Writing or Sign, i.e., transfer of information.
• Data is any fact (s) assumed to be matter of direct observations.

From these definitions we can say that data consists of unprocessed facts,
knowledge is what an individual possess after assimilating facts and putting them
into context: information is knowledge shared by having been communicated.

According to Shannon and weaver9 (1949) mathematical theory of

information, the amount of information in a message is related to the probability
ratio of the message. The more it reduces probability, the more information it has,
and this theory believes that the prior knowledge of the recipient may reduce the
amount of information in a message.

In Random House Compact unabridged dictionary10 the term ‘information’

is defined as knowledge communicated or received concerning a particular fact or
circumstance and knowledge gained through study, communication, research,
instruction etc.

In Wikipedia encyclopedia11 defines the term ‘information’ as a concept

bears a diversity of meanings, from every day usage to technical settings.
Generally speaking, the concept of information is closely related to notions of

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constraint, communication control, data, form, instruction, knowledge, meaning,

mental stimulus, pattern, perception, and representation.

Brookes12 (1980b) often called a knowledge structure, it is a sum of many

bits of information, and when more information is added to the existing
knowledge structure, its gets modified. When information (AI) is added to the
existing knowledge structure (ks), it results in modified knowledge k(s+As). This
can be represented in the form of equation
K(s)+ AI= k(s+As)
AI= k(s+As)- K(s)

McCreadie and Rice13 (1999) review concepts of information and the

summary of the concepts they consider are given as follows.
• Information as a representation of knowledge: Information is
stored knowledge. Traditionally the storage medium has been books,
but increasingly electronic media are becoming important.
• Information as data in the environment: Information can be
obtained from a range of environmental stimuli and phenomena; not
all of which are intended to ‘convey’ a message, but which can be
informative when appropriately interpreted.
• Information as part of the communication process: Meanings are
in people rather than in word or data. Timing and social factors play
a significant role in the processing and interpretation of information.
• Information as resource or commodity: Information is transmitted
in a message from sender to receiver. The receiver interprets the
message as intended by the sender. There may be added value as the
information is disseminated or exchanged.
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Weisman14 (1972) defined information as knowledge, intelligence, facts or

data that can be used, transferred or communicated. It may be derived from
experience, observation, interaction and reading. It has several basic qualities, viz.
existence, availability, language or recognizable representative and meaning.

Yates-Mercer and Bawden15 (2002) show that information possesses certain

unique qualities. Examples of these qualities are:
• Although information is instantiated in physical objects, information
itself is intangible, a collection of ‘abstract objects’;
• Information is expandable, increasing with use;
• Information is compressible, able to be summarized, integrated, etc.;
• Information can be substitute for other resources, e.g. replacing
physical resources, or transport links;
• Information is transportable virtually instantaneously;
• Information is diffusive, tending to leak from the straightjacket of
security and control, and the more it leaks the more there is;
• Information is sharable, not exchangeable; it can be given awayand
retained at the same time.

4.1.4 Information Types

Jarvelin and Repo16 (1983) proposes three categories of information,

namely:
• Problem information: information, which describes the structure,
properties, and requirements of the problem at hand.
• Domain information: which consists of known facts, concepts,
laws, and theories in the domain of the problem.
• Problem-solving information: this type of information describes:
*1* How problem should be seen and formulated
*1* What problem and domain information should be used

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♦> How it should be used, in order to solve the current problem.

These three information categories represent three different dimensions and

have different roles in addressing a problem.

4.1.5 Information - A Vital Resources

Information is one of the fundamental resources indispensable for the

developments in all the vital spheres of the civilized society. It is a vital resource
for the development of individuals and nations. Information being a vital
resources, it needs to be managed just as other resource like money, men,
materials, or markets. The information systems are precisely such resource
management agents.

4.1.6 Information System

The information system is a particular discipline or branch of learning,

which is concerned, with the application of information to institutional/
organizational needs. The scope of information system includes manual,
computer-based automated procedures and applications of information technology
generally.

The system is an organized collection of people, machines, procedures,

documents, data or any other entities such that they interact with each other as
well as with the environment to reach a pre-defined goal.

Information relates some compound concepts, such as, information studies,

information systems, information sources, information products, information
services, information storage, information dissemination and information retrieval.

Bhattacharrya17 (1997) Information science is a generalized basic discipline

forming the foundation of the profession of information work meant for rendering

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information service to the users of information engaged in developmental

activities, such as:

1. Generation of new information;

2. Understanding and evaluation of existing information;
3. Decision-making and carrying out other managerial functions
relating to man- made production systems of all kinds;
4. Enhancement of productivity in all production sectors;
5. Education; formal and informal;
6. Mass communication; and
7. Derivation of emotional satisfaction.

The information scientist, as a professional, is committed to the mission of

ensuring and promoting the mission of ensuring and promoting the utilization of
existing information resources for developmental activities by overcoming all the
barriers that stand in the way of providing the right information to the right user at
the right time.

Britanmca 18 Information science is a discipline that deals with the processes

*

of storing and transferring information was fully based on printed materials; today
it attempts to bring together concepts and methods from various discipline such as
library science, computer science, linguistics, cybernetics, and other technologies
in order to develop technologies and devices to aid in the handling-that is the
storage, control and retrieval of information under information technology.

Information science aim is to plan and organize effective information

services, such as CAS, SDI, reprographic facilities, reference service etc., to
promote the dissemination of recorded information easily and speedily to the user.

Information system is the study of information production, flows and use

within institutes / organizations. The information systems are goal oriented, on the
other hand, provides both storage and dissemination of information. The library or

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in an information center where the information system is in operation, keeping the

information needs of the users the documents are to be collected, stored, analyzed.
The processed documents are merged or shelved on the shelves. Users approach
the documents on his subject in the collection through the catalogue/OPAC,
Library staff or directly to the shelves.

Crawford19 (1978), the development of the information system was

intended to evaluate the function of an existing one. A well-planned library or
information system ensures quick and easy access to the information needs of
every user.

4.1.7 Information Users

A worth full information system can be established keeping the interest of

the users. An engineer, scientist, research scholars, who create or generate
information and who is very keen to communicate information to large audience
are all information users.

Kind of users are different in different Institutions/ organization, it depends

on the kind of activity/education that institutions providing. In engineering
college/ institutions, the users may be teachers, or researcher scholars, students of
undergraduate and post graduate, engineers.

4.1.8 Information Sources

The information sources available to teachers, scholars etc., to know the

latest development in their field and previous work done are categorised into two
groups:

1. Formal Sources: The formal sources includes books, reviews,

journals, reports, patents, abstracting and indexing journals, subject

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bibliographies, card catalogues, audiovisual media, data bases,

conference proceedings, internet, etc.

2. Informal Sources: The informal sources include “invisible

colleges” private correspondence, local and foreign conferences,
meetings and seminars, Government departments, industries, social
gathering, etc.

The use of information sources depends on the working conditions, subject

of the study, and nature of information sought by the users.

4.1.9 Agencies of Information Sources

The user depends on many agencies in the process of reading and collecting
the required information pertaining to their requirements. The agencies of
information sources can be categorised into two groups:

1. Agencies of formal information sources;

i) Libraries: Academic, Special, Public, National Libraries
and E-libraries (Internet).
ii) Self/ friends/ colleagues book collections.
iii) National and international Information centers.

2. Agencies of informal information sources;

i) Invisible colleges private correspondence.

ii) Seminars, meetings, conferences, conventions and
workshops.
iii) Suggestions from friends/ colleagues, technological
gatekeepers, corridor meetings at conference, seminars,
workshop, etc.
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Depending on the nature and type of information required by engineering

faculties for generating and communicating information, they depend on various
agencies of information sources. Considerable research has been done about
various sources of information used by scientists, engineers and technologists. The
present study on engineering faculty has sought to know the, required/ used
sources of information, how they are ranked or preferred sources of information
have been accounted in the analysis part of the study.

4.2 Information Communication System

Information communication in a broad sense of the term includes not

merely transference of information in the conventional sense, but also the
expression of feelings, wishes, commands, desires or whatever it may be. It
covers, the use of natural language as well as voluntary or involuntary feelings,
emotions, gestures, etc.

The communication is a word that we commonly use and therefore it is

difficult to come up with a scientific definition for it. The word communication
has its root in the Latin word ‘communicare’ that means ‘to share’, and this
sharing is of information, knowledge, thoughts, concepts, and feelings. Two or
more parties having cooperation and understanding between them are require to
share information and they should have mutually accepted code of signals making
up a common language. So communication can be defined as the exchange of
information, ideas, and knowledge between sender and receiver through an
accepted code of symbols.

Mercado20 (1992) defines communication as the process of sharing

messages between a source and a receiver either directly or through channels, with
the former desiring to change the awareness, knowledge, attitude, skill, and/ or
practice of the latter.

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Information has no meaning in itself if it is not to be communicated. Hence,

communication is an essential attitude of the information. Every communication
contains information but all information may not have communicative value. In
the words of Myers and Myers 21 (1982), information is like an enormous
umbrella, a broad concept that covers communication as one particular type of
information. Information is a global concept referring to any pattern of energy
input you are exposed to.

Communication is a key component of the information society. Information

and communication are, for all practical purposes, inseparable, and in the strict
technical sense of both terms communication would not be possible without
information.

4.2.1 Components of Communication System

The essential elements of communication system as stated by Parthasarthy22

(1986) and Mercado23 (1992),
1. Communicator / Source,
2. Message,
3. Language,
4. Medium / Channel and,
5. Recipi ent/Recei ver.

1. Com m unicator / Source:

The communicator /Sources can be a person, a couple, a family, a group,

an organization, a community, or a country.

A teacher author or scientist, engineer who has generated new information

in their field wants to evaluate his work with his peers or fellow workers.
Publication of his article in a major journal is an endorsement of the success of his

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work. Therefore scientist / author has an urge to communicate to a wide audience

and there is an urgency to communicate for establishing priority.

1. Message:

Message is the information that a communicator shares with a receiver. It

should be new, verifiable, useful and presented in a standard form.

2. Language:

Language is a basic tool of communication comprised of symbols, and a set

of rules by which the manipulation of these symbols is governed. It is the vehicle
to convey message. Clear and simple language using precise and standard
terminology will be helpful in information communication.

3. M edium / channel:

This transmits the message or information from source to the receiver. The
medium / channel can be:
a) Oral / Verbal Communication: May be one-to-one or it may be
one- to-many i.e. conversation, dialogue, meeting, conference,
conventions, seminar, etc.
b) Recorded / Verbal Communication: The recorded media are
manuscript, books, periodicals, technical reports, dissertations,
theses, standards, microforms, computer-readable tapes, CDs,
internet, mass media such as TV, radio, news papers, magazines, etc.
c) Audiovisual / Technological Communication: This media/
channels are slide projectors, overhead projection, videocassettes
presentation, e-mail, Teleconferences, etc.
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4.2.2.1 Formal Channels

Formal channels of communication have large user community. They reach

a large audience. The formal channels are conventional publications such as
books, monographs, journals, abstracting & indexing journals, etc. Information
stored is relatively old and no more nascent, due to the time lag in publication. The
delay in publication makes the contents of a paper or work out-of-date, and
sometimes irrelevant also. Scientists face a number of difficulties in publishing
articles and it takes 6 to 8 months for getting it printed in a journal. Even number
of leading journals/ societies charges the scientists for publishing their articles.
Formal communications are easier to enforce, to monitor and to improve.

Journals articles: These are primary sources of information and provide

new information to users in their particular field. An institution, learned societies,
publishes these.

Books: It is the most popular kind of document. It has continuity in

thoughts and a collection of particular subject of a particular author.

Journals/ Periodicals: It is the useful and popular documents of the formal

channel of communication of new ideas and thoughts, research and inventions
reports are being carried to the readers with the help of periodicals/journals.

Standard: The standard covers definitions, methods properties,

measurements etc. It may be illustrated with tables and diagrams. The Indian
standards institution is a major organization publishing standards in India.

Patent: A Patent is a facility grant to the new invention for a particular time
for its use in public clientele. The patent is the official document having the seal of
government related with it, which decides an exclusive privilege or right over a

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period of time to the proceeds o f an invention. There is one publishing agency in

every country.

A.V.Documents: The thought contents of these documents are on the basis

of scientific methods. These are very attractive and a source of increasing memory
and to sharpen the mind. These are available in macro & micro size.
Example: Compact Disk, Magnetic Tapes, etc.

Abstracting & Indexing Journals: An abstracting journal is a regularly

issued compilation of concise summaries of significant article and of important
new research monographs, reports, patents and other primary sources of
publication respective field.

An indexing periodical is a regularly issued compilation of titles of articles

that appear in current primary sources journals titles of new books, pamphlets, are
also included.
Example: 1. Chemical Abstracts, 1907, Easton, Pa, American chemical
Society, 1907, Vol.l, Weekly.
2. Indian science abstracts, Delhi Indian National Scientific
Documentation Center, Vol.l, 1965, Monthly.
3. Physics Abstracts: Science Abstracts Aeries, London,
Institution of Electrical Engineers, 1898, Fortnightly. Etc,.

Mass media: Television, Radio, Newspapers are all mass media. These
channels help to communicate to large audience across the world.

4.2.2.2 Informal Channels

The informal channels are both oral presentations as well as written

communications. The distribution of written communication is highly personal and
selective usually restricted to colleagues or personally known scientists working in

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the same area. The dissemination is restricted to small groups. The informal
channels provide an effective and efficient means for quick dissemination of
information among or between an interest group. Example: Invisible colleges,
meeting, seminars etc.
Correspondence: The interaction between the persons to persons are with
any societies, organization etc, through written or orally.
Example: Postal service, Telephonic services, Electronic mails, etc.

Conversations or dialogues: It is the discussion among the two or more

persons, face-to-face or telephonic services.

Meetings: Meetings are arranged to discuss the academic activities,

developmental activities, scientific or technical activities etc.

4.3 Promoting Agencies of Information Communication

The agencies involved in the systematic generation of this information may

be termed as promoting agencies of information communication. One has to
depend on the documents for formal communication of information. Documents
are lifeless objects. They themselves are dependent on certain agencies for
promoting their use towards the information communication. These agencies play
an important role and the important agencies, according to Aggarwal25 (1985) the
following are the different agencies of Information Communication.

1) Author,

2) Libraries and Information Centres,

3) Universities and Colleges,

4) Government,

5) Learned Societies and Autonomous Bodies,

6) Industrial Houses,

7) Book Trade,

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8) Manufacturers and Traders, and

9) Mass Media
i.) Press,
ii.) Radio,
iii.) Television, and
iv.) Motion Pictures,

In addition to these

10) Internet play important role in online communication.

The different Agencies of Information Communication is Schematically shown in
figure. 3

Authors
Libraries
Universities
Colleges
Government
Learned Societies Recipient
Industrial Houses User Seeker
Books Trade of
Manufacturers & Traders Information
Mass Media
(Press,Radio,Motion
Pictures,T.V)
• Internet

Fig. 3 Agencies Promoting Communication o f Information

4.3.1 Author:

Author, the creator of intellectual, artistic and scientific work, has a natural
urge to share his ideas and work with others. The author participates in the
seminars, conferences and avails of every opportunity to communicate information
about his continuing work. The author makes all efforts to get it published in some
well-established journal so that the work he has done or the information he has
generated is made available for use to the fellow-workers, researchers, scientists
and other interested persons all over the world. Thus in the information

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communication, author plays a very vital role in generating retrospective or

nascent thoughts and disseminating the information.

4.3.2 Libraries and Information Centres:

The primary aim of a library and information centre is to collect, organise

and disseminate information to the right person at the right time. To achieve this,
it locates the information-bearing documents, procures them, and organizes them
for use. The past and present information in the libraries is stored in an organized
way so that it is retrieved pin-pointedly, exhaustively and expeditiously on
demand or when it is otherwise needed.

A library makes both extensive and intensive efforts to inform the users
what information is available in what documents through its various
bibliographical and documentation services, such as, Current Awareness Service
(CAS), Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI), Indexing service,
Abstracting service, etc. A library also facilitates the use of information by
providing reprographic facilities and translation services. Almost all efforts of
library are directed towards the promotion of the communication of information.

4.3.3 Universities and Colleges:

The important functions of a modem university and colleges are: teaching,

research, extension and publication. All these four activities are concerned with
the dissemination and communication of information. The dissemination and
diffusion of knowledge through the art of teaching is still considered as the main
job of a university or college. The college and university education not only
disseminates knowledge but also creates intellectual curiosity, motivating the
seeker of information to get more and more information.

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In the college and universities, teaching has been overshadowed by

research. The generation and communication of new information or appropriate
technology has become more important. It is believed that the teaching becomes
rich if it is supported by research work. Then, the findings of the researches appear
in the form of books, treatise, theses, reports, papers, etc. communicating
information all over the world.

Besides producing educated and trained manpower, it is also to provide

solution to the existing problems of the society in the shape of research findings or
through its extension programmes. The technology generated in the laboratories of
the university or colleges are thus passed on to the society for application without
any loss of time.

4.3.4 Government:

Government spends considerable amount on research and information

services to ensure a well-balanced and integrated development of the society. The
research work generates new technology, which a modem government is duty
bound to disseminate among its people for use and application. This is done
through various government publications, which are issued by different ministries,
departments, commissions and other government bodies. Information contained in
the government publications is usually authentic, reliable, and up-to-date.
Communication of information by the government is a continuous process to keep
its people educated and well informed about its policies and programmes.

4.3.5 Learned Societies and Autonomous Bodies:

Learned societies, autonomous and non-autonomous bodies- which are

engaged in the work of research, production, commerce and service. The
institutions like ICAR, ICMR, BARC, CSIR, all of which are engaged in research
work in one or the other fields. These learned and professional bodies produce

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considerable invaluable micro-literature in the form of proceedings of their

meetings, seminar papers, periodicals, bulletins, newsletters, circulars, research
reports, etc, through these documents. The publication brought out by these bodies
contains nascent information in the subject and they communicate information
among the professionals all over the world.

4.3.6 Industrial Houses:

Few industrial houses maintain research and development units to generate

new technology continuously for the improvement of the quality of their products,
to keep the cost of production within limits, and to find out new but profitable
diversifications. Their R & D activities result into a considerable amount of
scientific and technical literature including patents, standards, specifications, etc.
each industry has developed its own system of publication and communication for
extensive dissemination of information about itself and its products.

4.3.7 Book Trade:

The publishers of reading material and its distributors play an important

role in the communication of information. The ideas of the authors are given a
physical shape in the form of book, treatises, monographs, periodicals, review, etc.
mainly through their efforts.

The developments in the printing techniques and paper technology have

resulted into a tremendous increase in the supply of books and other forms of
literature. This has brought in added responsibility to the book trade towards
greater diffusion of knowledge and wider dissemination of information. Thus the
book trade helps in the generation and communication of information also.
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4.3.8 Manufacturers and Traders:

Technical trade literature, which publicizes the products of various

industries, is an important source of information, especially for engineering
faculty. The industries and manufacturers circulate their literature extensively to
disseminate accurate, precise, and sometime, illustrated information about their
products.

4.3.9 Mass Media:

The tools of communication that disseminate identical one-way messages

to a large number of physically separated persons constitute the mass media. The
press, the radio, the motion pictures, the television, etc. represent major mass
media, which communicate both knowledge and current information to the people.
Their coverage is extensive and in that they reach the remote comers of the
country. The four major mass media - the press, the radio, the television, and the
motion pictures are briefly discussed below.

i) The press:

The press, the daily newspapers and magazines which are circulated in
millions to keep the people abreast with the latest development inside and outside
the country. They freely and fearlessly give their views on current national issues,
noted the public opinion and act as a defender of liberty.

ii) Radio:

Marconi invented the Radio in 1901, is the transmission and reception of

signals by means of electric waves. Through the radio messages can be transmitted
to the remotest comers and it serves as a medium of educating the masses, catering
to their various tastes, such as news, music, talks, etc.

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The radio has been used for the dissemination of information, for
entertainment, for recreation, for eradicating social evil from society. The radio
broadcasting remains the most effective and efficient means of dissemination of
information to the people scattered over a vast area.

111 ) Television:

Television, invented by J.L.Baird in 1926 is an excellent means for

information communication. It brings the world of reality to the viewers.
Television enables us to see and hear for ourselves and is often thought to be the
most believable news source. Communication by TV is effective because it can
transmit a wide range of audiovisual materials, including still pictures, films,
objects, specimen and drama. It is a superb dissemination device.

iv) Motion Pictures:

Like TV, another agency that plays a vital role in the communication of
information is motion pictures. In this modern age different types of films cater to
information needs of people on different aspects of life such as: General,
occupational, industrial, technical and skill films. Each category conveys the
intended message to its clientele effectively. It is said that “the motion picture is a
powerful instrument for affecting cognitions, personal feelings, desires,
perceptions, motives, values, needs, habits and drives of people by disseminating
ideas and facts.

4.3.10 Internet:

In this 21st century, where the world has become a small globe-
multimedia, paging, cellular telephony, internet, satellite communication, cable
media, DTH etc. have changed the pattern of our thinking and our style of living.
M cLuhan26, a great sociologist said that all the media are ‘ the extensions of man’

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for him the world is now a small village- a global village. He says “ The speed of
information in the global village means that every human action or event involves
everybody in the village in the consequences of every event.” It means a very
small world as all are closely knit together with the strong media of
communication.

Internet is a substantial communication tool is characterized by information

Versatility and interactivity. Internet user can find virtually all kinds of
information on the net. The web also performs all major functions of other media
such as newspaper, magazines, radio, television and telephone. The network of
networks delivers text, graphics, images, and audio-video at the same time.
Internet provides an interactive, many-to-many communication environment. The
Internet has therefore become in a short period of time the medium of the twenty
first century in all aspects of life.

Today, the Internet plays a huge role in conveying information to large

populations, and has become a major tool for Mass Communications. But no
matter how powerful the technology, Mass Communications depends on creative
skills of individuals who will guide, shape, and disseminate information.

4.4 Barriers to Information Communication

A number of factors influence accessibility of information, its transfer and

ultimate use. Factors responsible for the breakdown of communication process are
known as barriers to communication.

The barriers in the free flow of information communication can be grouped

in to following categories. Based on the studies of Parthasarathy 27 (1986),
Bandyopadhyay28 (1986), K um ar29 (2004) and Sharma3°(2007)

1. Political Factors;

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 Chapter 4 Tnfnrmat) generation and Communication
Information

2. Institutional or Organizational policy;

3. Financial and Economic Factors;
4. Technological Factors;
5. Linguistic and Language barriers;
6. Social and psychological barriers;
7. Ignorance;
8. Special Documents;
9. Research or Project Information;
10. Classified Information;
11. Physical barriers.

4.4.1 Political Factors:

The transfer of information between the country is largely depends on

diplomatic relation between them. Political factors may not be allowed scientists
communicate or access to information with his peers in another country not having
good relations with his country, for security reasons.

4.4.2 Institutional or Organizational policy:

A researcher or scientist may not be allowed to communicate the generated

information by the institution or organizations where he is working if the work is
considered to be of restricted nature.

The status of a person and his hierarchical position in institute or

organization may also play an important role in exchange and free flow of
information.

4.4.3 Financial and Economic factors:

Financial barriers increase the cost of information. These barriers are as

follows:

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----- r dnj>tn -4 - - - J n fn rm n tin n g e n e r a tio n n r y f C nm m n n iratw n =

i) Rising costs in production of documents:

The costs in production of documents are rising every year. In India, the
printing & Paper cost gone up very high in the recent years. Rising of cost reduce
the purchasing power and the production of the documents and hence both reduces
the communication of information.

ii) Postal and transportation charges:

The postal and transportation charges are being hiked from time to time.
The rise in freight charges of railway and airway; hire charges of teleprints,
revision of telephone tariff, increase in facsimile charges also hinder the
communication of information.

iii) Costs in running libraries and information centres:

Due to financial constraints all the useful publications required by

engineering faculty or user, may not be procured by libraries from its limited
budget.

iv) Currency exchange and import control:

Some of the well established periodicals charges money for publishing

articles, due to the foreign exchange problem and procedural difficulties; it is not
easy to procure the required books or journals without loss of time. This also
hampers the free flow of information.

v) Royalties:

With the increasing use of computerized databases and other electronic

media in information transfer, the payment of royalties is another impediment in
the way of free flow of information.

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Financial constraints may prevent engineering faculty or scientists or a

researcher to participate in seminars, conference, etc., for reporting about his work
or findings.

4.4.4 Technological Factors:

The technological factors play an important role in free flow of

information.

i) Technical Tools:

The exponential growth of information has necessitated the adoption of

new techniques and technology for printing, storage and dissemination of
information. Scientist or engineering faculties are required user education to
handle the new tools and techniques for communicating and accessing required
information, the lacking of technical tools and adequate knowledge to handle
sophisticated tools prevents free flow of information.

ii) Manpower and software:

The Suitable application software programs are required to processes the

computer readable databases. The use of information technology requires large
investments for building up the infrastructure. For running the systems efficiently,
it requires specially trained manpower. The lacking of application software and
manpower may be another constraint in the free flow of information.

4.4.5 Linguistic and Language Barriers:

The language is an expression of human activity. The languages very often

may be the major hindrance to the communication of scientific and technical
information. Each linguistic community virtually forms an island by itself, in
which only a few scientists can communicate with more than one or two other
linguistic groups.

Ill
------- Cfi<rpter4 ----------- -Tnfnrmntinn generation an d Communication -

Unless the research literature or the information is translated into a

languages intelligible to the users, the availability of information in many
languages and the inability of an information seeker to read and understand all
these languages constitute a serious impediment in the free flow and
communication of information.

4.4.6 Social and Psychological Barriers:

There are a number of psychological complexities of users, which prevent

free flow of information:
• Wariness and reluctance to cooperate with information specialists;
• Unwillingness to accept the change;
• Unhappiness over discipline and procedure;
• Question of prestige, shyness, ignorance and mistrust;
• Difference with regard to philosophical, social and cultural stem
largely from differences in ideologies as well as legal principles i.e.,
the right to freedom of opinion and information; and
• Negative attitude, hostile opinions, personal differences, mental or
physical stress, emotional condition, disturbed state, etc.

4.4.7 Ignorance:

The biggest obstacle in the communication of scientific information is

ignorance of and inability to use the opportunities offered by information services;

4.4.8 Special Documents:

The special documents, such as government publication, technical reports,

patent, standards, etc., are not properly published and they are not easily available
through normal book trade. Libraries find it difficult to acquire them. This may
hamper the smooth flow of information.

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4.4.9 Research or Project Information:

The correct and comprehensive information about on-going research or

projects in various institutions or organization are not available, many scientists go
without useful information generated during their progress.

4.4.10 Classified Information:

Some times the generator of information or the information generated at

government level is branded as ‘classified’ or ‘secret’ for many reasons, such as
national security. This may be another obstacle in the way of smooth transfer of
information.

4.4.11 Physical barriers:

Physical discomfort, loud noises, unbearable weather conditions, mental or

physical illness, faulty seating arrangements, disturbed phone line, illegible hand
writing, defective microphone, defective sound system etc., are some of the factor
and conditions that can become barrier to effective communication.

In addition to the above discussed factors, there are few more that hamper
the smooth flow of information and hence communication. They are: fast
accumulation of knowledge, over abundance and inter disciplinary nature of
information, need for section of specific information for narrow fields of
application, pollution in the form of useless and propaganda material, creation of
new jargons and time lag between the submission of manuscript and its final
publication.

4.5 Effective Communication

Effective communication is essential for high performance. Communication

is most important tool; it can be the basis for understanding, co-operation, and

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positive action. Through the interaction process, information and knowledge are
transferred between people. Every communicator must know the significance of
language, which is essential for effective communication. By effective
communication via Email one can get in touch with the other counterpart of the
network for required information.

Bhadauria and Gore 31 (2004), communication is an integral part of

teaching learning process. It debates for sharing of ideas and feelings in a mood of
mutuality and sharing the experiences till it becomes common possession.
Effective communication is a two-way process including feedback and interaction.
The basic communication model involves on informational process in which
messages, information or reaction to information travel from the initiator to the
receiver through the communication channel, conveyed by the teacher or
educational media.

Communication is the life-blood of teaching learning process. Through

communication the mutual process of give and take of the information,
knowledge, concepts, ideas, feelings and experiences is performed.

The process of scientific communication is important in the progress of

science and technology. Effective communication requires a thorough knowledge
of the communication process, the environment in which it is taking place and
awareness about the possible barriers that may hinder the flow of communication.
A communicator should know the art of technical writing and required adequate
facilities to produce the documents in the internally accepted standard. The author,
scientists with excellent communication skills are treated as valuable resource of
the institution or organization.
= ~ rdnjit.n -4 — Jnfnm uitinrt (jm rT n tin n nn/f ('nrnm um r.atum '

4.6 Information Generation and Communication by Engineering

Faculty

The information generation and communication is the act or continuous

process of producing information.

Conway32 et al., (1974), A series of information processing activities can be

conceived of a falling into the domain of information generation. A partial listing
of such information generation activities is given, creation, prediction, analysis,
interpretation, innovation, survey & censuses, research activity, etc.

The following three points are pertinent for information generation:

1. The development of thinking is truly a creative process which each
human child experiences.
2. Schemes and operations are not facts a person knows or is conscious
of, but are instruments he uses in the service of knowing.
3. Information, like all knowledge, is not simply a matter of presence
or absence of facts but refers to facts assimilated to a framework of
general knowing.

Satija33 (2004), Information is produced in various differing and changing

environments. Thus information is a way a system keeps going. It depends upon
user, be it biological, social mechanical or cosmic for its generation,
communication, reception and direct use.

Information is the content / message or communication. Information and

communication are inseparable like two sides of a coin. It is an essential input for
social economic, educational and technological development of a society.

Karsiddappa and Kavita34 (2004), in the knowledge age or the information

age, information and intelligence become the raw materials as did iron and coal in
the industrial age. Information is emerging as a critical source for user in all

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activities and at all levels of education, research, social and economic

development thereby improving the quality of day-to-day life.

Kumar35 (2004), since the invention of printing, there has been a continuous
revolution in the generation, transfer and communication of information. Due to
information explosion, information has been growing exponentially.

Human activity can be viewed as a process of building up of knowledge.

The knowledge conserved by human, we call as ‘Universe of Knowledge’. The
knowledge acquired by and individual is stored in his brain or in material form by
recording the ideas using a medium.

The information available can be elaborated, consolidated, interpreted and

used for varied purposes. In scientific and technical field, the information can be
used as raw material for elaboration and generation of new information.

The new ideas are generated in each and every branch of human activity
from time to time and give new interpretation to know ideas. We borrow ideas
from other disciplines and try to apply them in a new context. Each discipline is
interacting with other disciplines and in the process new interdisciplinary
information is generated. The new ideas are generated by observation,
experimentation and synthesis.

Babu36 (1994), Growth of knowledge, whether we call it generation of new

information, or creativity, or invention, or innovation, is a never-ending process.
All these are synonymous to the basic concept of research activity.

Knowledge is the information conserved by an individual. A piece of

information that undergoes mental processing (psychological and intellectual
operations) for the purpose of generating another piece of information, the fact
emerges out of this analysis is referred by the term knowledge.

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Natrajan37 (1999), Innovation stands for new products, information,

knowledge and services. It sands for renewal; recreating oneself. It requires
imagination and insight. One creative artist explained: “Creativity is in that which
I do, and not in me”.

Creativity is for more than a grandiose flash of inspiration. It is a process, a

discipline, and an ability, which goes beyond simple improvements. Creativity has
a sisterly bond with curiosity.

Gopinath38 (2004), Collection of knowledge is largely in the form of

documents such as books, periodicals, reports, standards, specifications, patents,
reference materials, computer based documents and kindred materials. Human
mind and its civilizations have information in several other media. Such collection
of knowledge can be retrieved, accessed, disseminated, applied for target use
wherever needed. The stored knowledge can be utilized for the generation of new
information.

4.6.1 Activities Leading to Information Generation by Engineering

College Faculties

Information is the product of different types of human activities, or

incidents. The activities are undertaken by individuals or by organizations to
achieve specific objectives. Events are things that happen, occur or take place. If
there has been no activity or an event taking place, there would be no
information 39.
Activities, incidents are the stimulations for new ideas. Keeping in view of
the engineering college faculties working situations, some of the important
activities can be accounted, through which faculties generate information are:

i) Research activities;
ii) Publication of text books and monographs;
iii) Classroom lecturers; and

117
 r fv ip tjr r d - .................... - ...................... Tn fn rm n tic m ( jm r r n tin n n r n f ('rm m n m rn tirm zz=

iv) Other activities.

i) Research activities:

Some activities are deliberately undertaken with the specific objective of

creating or generating information. Research is a creative work undertaken on a
systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge and use it for benefit
of man and society. It is a highly organized activity throughout the world, which
continuously creates a large mass of new information.

Research activity is not confined to the research institutions alone. The

academic institutions such as engineering college faculties are also undertake and
consider research as one of their major tasks, besides imparting formal education
to the students.

In addition to their personal involvement in activity, engineering college

faculties are involved in supervising and guiding; students for completing their
project work in the final year and researchers involved in obtaining Ph.D. degrees.

Through these research activities, academicians produce the information in

the form of research reports, project reports, theses, research articles in reputed
journals.

Engineering college faculties prefer to attend the conference or seminars to

exchange the views of other professional friends, to gather new information
generated by others.

The process of generation of new information is cyclic, the existing

information being the nutrient for the further generation of information.
-------------- Pdrrptsrd ------------------ Tnfnrm ntinn generation and Communication --------

ii) Publication of text books and monographs:

Writing textbooks and revision of textbooks of their subject is another

activity of information generation by engineering faculties. Textbooks are
required for the academic activities for both teachers and students.

iii) Class room Lectures:

Teaching and learning are natural process. Teaching quality directly affects
learning achievement. Teachers are primarily engaged in teaching activities.

Teaching is a profession, an art, and a gifted talent with which only a few
are bom. It is not the teaching, which is important, but what the students leam is
important. Good teaching is one fourth preparation and three fourth theaters. It is
the profession that teaches all the other profession 40.

In the era of fast changing technology, the content of the syllabus is to be

updated regularly or the existing content can be oriented in tune with changing
scenario, teachers read more and more books, journals to gather information and
updated the knowledge about the trends in the development of the subject. During
such activities some new ideas flash in mind, that becomes base of information
generation.

iii) Other Activities:

Besides the above mentioned activities teachers also generate information;

• During discussion withthe professional colleagues,friends and peers
in the subject fields.

• By publishing articles, participating seminars,conferences,

workshops, etc. and guiding research work leading to Ph.D. Thus
this kind of activities helps them for selection and promotions to
higher cadres.

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 zC dapter4i Information generation and Communication

Thus the overall information generation and communication can be

schematically represented in the Figure.4

Acquire Process Analysed apply for

Data I n f o r m a t io n
L-»-------

❖ Decision Making
❖ Strategic planning
❖ Problem solving
Curriculum, teaching &
learning Method
❖ Research activity
❖ Innovation, Creativity
❖ Analysis, Interpretation

Result / Implementation
Action
New information
Formulate

Fig.4 Generation and Communication o f Information

4.7 Factors Influencing the Information Generation Communication

The field o f ‘Engineering’ is the professional and systematic application of

science to the effective and maximum utilisation of national resources to produce
wealth. It is both an art and science by which mechanical properties of matter are
made useful to human kind in structures and machines. The arena o f engineering
and technology is human evolution. The Engineering Education is a confluence of
research, experiment and experience41.

The infrastructure o f the technical education system has to be updated with

utmost care to impart the knowledge o f the latest inventions of science &
technology to the youth and canalizing them in a proper technical climate.

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In the era of information explosion and ever changing & increasing

demands on student skills from the employers, the engineering colleges teachers
have to update, innovative and modem approaches to teaching.

Information is generated when an individual is not satisfied with whatever

little he knows about the existing things, he starts creating new ideas in his mind.
This creation leads to the spirit of competition in different fields like science and
technology, business and industry. As he goes on adding new information the
knowledge grows multidimensional. As the knowledge grows the problems of
human being also go on increasing. Struggle for existence is the basic motivation
for the man to create things or improve such things to overcome the problem.

It is a known fact that where there is no vision, the people will perish. The
social and economic problems are forcing the learned community to find out the
remedies, by way of research. Need is the mother or invention. The social needs of
man made the researcher to invent new equipments, new varieties of seeds in the
field of agriculture, new medicines for varieties of diseases, etc.

The research activities are not confined to the globe. Further studies are in
progress on the planets and satellites to find their suitability for living and other
purpose of the human beings. At each and every stage of these research activities
new information is generated.

Scientists, engineers, teachers and researchers are among those, who are
involved in the generation of new information. The scientist continues to browse
through the literature throughout his research activity, to stimulate lines of thought
process. The regular reading habit that helps to acquire the knowledge with the
recent developments in their subject area of interest. Even to get specific data and
information needed as different stages of his research work, the researcher is
supposed to read more and more. Then bring out the results and build up the gap
between the research outcomes of previous years or bring new things to the light.

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— -—('bitptsr 4 — — - — Information generation a n d Commumfatintt -------------------

According to viswanathan42 (1976) “ the fundamental aim and function of

research is to find solutions to problems confronted in the course of human
activity in a variety of situations and in the midst of available data on
accomplished work and output. Questions are raised and answers are found, but
the quality and quantity of answers to these problems are based on new
information generation. This seems to be an unending cycle, because the human
mind is as restless as the restless atom, always on the forward march, engaged in
ceaseless thinking and producing a prolific output of information”.

Scientists from the western countries have studied the influence of

qualitative factors viz., intelligence, dynamism, fluency, originality, self­
confidence etc., on the act of creativity. The healthy atmosphere in the
surroundings plays a prominent role in the life of a scientist, engineer, manager,
manager, teacher, etc., who is involved in research activity. In this study only the
qualitative factors, which impact on information generation by the engineering
college teachers, are studied.
 -rfurpter 4 --------------- — ............................. Tnfnrm/itinn generation and Communication

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