Chapter 10 - Sustaining EIM and Culture Change

Abstract

This chapter discusses the details of sustaining enterprise information management (EIM) and culture change. It suggests key factors to keep an EIM program going over the years and makes it an integral part of organization's business culture. The essence of sustaining EIM is to manage the required change. For basic change management, organizations need a dedicated team. It can be temporary or a part of HR, but it must be able to focus on EIM change. It does not have to be large—even the largest organizations should have a core team of no more than 6–8 people. It is key that the members have the necessary skills, knowledge, expertise, and, most important, influence. Most likely some training will be required as these are not typical resources that organizations have waiting in the wings. Further, communications hold the key to successful deployment of an information asset management philosophy. The EIM program will touch anyone who uses or creates data or content. The change significance is not to be taken lightly, and the communications aspects are critical. It is important for an executive to understand a few of the finer points of communications for EIM. Change management has a significant hard-dollar impact on an organization. Leaders are generally unaware of, or dismiss, the impact of poorly managed change on the bottom line.