Contemporary Society - Evolving Global Information Infrastructure and Information Transfer - page 22

Physical Geography
The geography and climate of a community influence lifestyle, use of leisure
time, and the culture of a community. California, Arizona, and the southern states
boast a climate that encourages outdoor activities most of the year. While residents
of Southern California, the Southwest, the Gulf Coast, and Florida are playing ten-
nis or enjoying water sports on fall or winter weekends, those of us in the rest of
the country are watching television, bowling, attending basketball games, or oth-
erwise staying indoors. The weather influences recreational activities, and lifestyle
differences influence attitudes.
Geographic features likewise inhibit or encourage travel and lifestyle. The con-
gestion of cities is a stark contrast to the wide expanses of the American Midwest,
where residents may drive 30 to 100 miles to the nearest city. Although technology
overcomes distances, attaining broadband Internet service and the latest network
technologies is still difficult for residents of remote areas in the United States and
other countries in the world. Such difficulties have a significant impact on whether
current information is available to these residents. Geography can influence both
our perception and our access to information.
Political Structure
The governance system of an agency influences the flow of information. A hier-
archy generally requires that information flows up the organization and down ac-
cording to the rank of the individual. Those at the top of the hierarchy can success-
fully stop or change the flow of information as well as the content. An organiza-
tion that is more informal usually encourages information flow in a casual manner
without regard to status of the sender or receiver. In such organizations, informa-
tion flow can be fast and unencumbered by status.
Political structure can also influence the content of information; for example, the
values of a dominant political party may suppress information that is opposed to
the prevailing views, and this suppressed information may find an outlet through
“underground” or illicit channels. This political structure may be dictated by the cul-
ture of the organization and by the leadership style of those in leadership positions.
Similarly, the format of the information may be dictated by the political structure; for
example, print is preferred to electronic sources, or narrative is preferred to charts
or diagrams.
Some leaders subscribe to an organizational philosophy that information must
be controlled and that power or authority is derived from the control of information.
Other leaders may believe that information should be shared among leaders and