1. Introduction
Researchers in Information Technology (IT)
have defined information as "data that has been
processed into a form that is meaningful to the
recipient and is of real or perceived value in
current or prospective actions or decisions" [[14],
p. 200]. This definition can be grounded in cognitivist
theories of mental representation [67]. Human
thinking involves mental representations that
intendedly correspond to reality. These representations
are commonly called beliefs or, when
highly validated, knowledge. They are produced
when people pick up sensory inputs or stimuli
from their environment. As new information is
acquired, one's beliefs are adjusted to better
match the perceived reality.
Human knowledge and beliefs inform actions
taken in pursuit of goals. Well-informed actions
(i.e., those based on true beliefs) are more likely
to achieve desired ends. Information is valuable
insofar as it helps individuals form true beliefs
which, in turn, promote effective, goal-achieving
action.
Technology has been defined as "practical implementations
of intelligence" [[20], p. 26]. Technology
is practical or useful, rather than being an
end in itself. It is embodied, as in implements or
artifacts, rather than being solely conceptual. It is
an expression of intelligence, not a product of