information: conveyor of ideas, thoughts, concepts and knowledge

In everyday life, the word ‘information’ is closely associated with the concept of communication, more specifically with the aspect of communication of ideas, thoughts, and knowledge, bringing forth an understanding of information that it has properties to convey ideas, thoughts, concepts and knowledge. But, how exactly is information conveyed? If information is conveyable, is it the process that helps convey understanding between two human beings, or is information the knowledge conveyed between two cognitive entities? These questions bring forth different understanding of the word information, as Machlup and Mansfield (1983) have succinctly capture it in the above quote, suggesting that information is not a thing that is simple to describe and explain. It is a phenomenon with multifaceted understanding, perhaps requiring multitude of methodologies and means of investigation and research. Buckland (1991) identifies three principal uses of the word information: 1) information-as-process (the ability to inform), 2) information-as-knowledge (the knowledge imparted in the process of being informed), and 3) information-as-thing (p.3), concentrating on the various properties of information and its different manifestations and understandings.

Machlup, F. & Mansfield, U. (1983). Cultural Diversity in Studies of Information. In F. Machlup and U. Mansfield (Eds.), The Study of Information. Wiley, 3-59

Buckland, M. (1991). Information and Information Systems. Chapters 1, 4, 5 & 6. New York: Preaeger