Information skills are essential in the business context where information is plentiful and selecting, synthesising and leveraging that information in decision-making provide the competitive advantage.

Paradoxically, information literacy is considered to be one of the most important graduate attributes, but do academic information skills translate into the business context? What information skill sets should educators focus on providing students to best equip them for the workplace?

As a matter of fact, one of the core skills that employers look for is a graduate’s ability to synthesise information.

Synthesis not a summary

Synthesis creatively fuses multiple elements, often from different areas, into something new and memorable.

Synthesis takes A + B + C, and then derives D, where D encompasses the essence of A, B, and C but also adds something new that resonates deeply with people.

This skill enables the graduates to source, collate and analyse information from qualitative and quantitative sources. Being methodical and detail-orientated are skills that are in demand. So too is the capacity to collect and analyse data to reach conclusions, make suggestions or issue recommendations to move the business forward.

Ability to synthesise information

Graduates will excel if they can demonstrate the ability to identify, evaluate and propose key solutions that solve common business problems, particularly if they achieve cost savings or increase efficiency.

Organisations today are swamped with information 24/7. The complexity can be overwhelming. Yet managers are supposed to rally colleagues with insightful analyses of problems and plans for how to succeed.

Ironically, the internet is flooded with all sorts of conflicting information on just about any subject. Trying to find the best answer by surfing the web requires that we consider the merit of a variety of sources and choose for ourselves which idea makes the most sense. We might find ourselves coming up with an entirely different answer than those we read about – that is synthesising.

Essentially what is happening is that by examining and evaluating a number of sources, we are identifying consistencies and relationships between and among the data. With these connections, we are better able to create a new idea that can be supported by the various types of knowledge we have picked up along the way.

Not everyone will come up with the same solution, and our own solution may not always turn out to be right, but by starting with a wealth of data we improve the odds of missing something important.

Synthesis a critical skill

If a graduate is placed in the context of entrepreneurship, synthesis is a critical skill for every step, from planning his business idea to growing the company. Most first-time entrepreneurs do not have a complete toolshed of basic business knowledge, much less the details of their own product, market, and competition.

Gaining this knowledge is essential, but very little of it has clear right and wrong answers. In any type of business, there are hundreds of small decisions to make along the way, each of which has the potential to make or break the entire venture.

For example, a critical portion of business planning is developing a marketing plan. In order to create an effective marketing plan, it is essential to study the basic tenets of marketing, the various routes for getting the message out, and the best ways to convince the target market that his product or service is the way to go.

The reality is that there is no right answer for every business, so he must review and analyse a multitude of information, then come up with a plan that incorporates the best of these ideas that will be most effective for his business.

Synthesis simplifies and explains

In a nutshell, synthesis simplifies and explains. Those who synthesise can touch people deeply. Synthesis is also a powerful and essential leadership skill.

Synthesis is the final step in critical thinking — after we analyse, evaluate, and organise information from different sources, this step requires us to put it all together.

Many people struggle with this step, but really all we are trying to do is select the best answer, or combination of answers, from a wide range of data.

Synthesising information in this way can be a difficult task to master, but a little time and practice can make you an expert in no time.

Last but not least, it is hoped that this opinion helps evoke a debate on the role of educators and the stakeholders identified specific information tools, techniques and processes, which can inform practical curriculum innovations to assist business graduates to be work-ready.

-- BERNAMA

Oswald Timothy Edward is Senior Lecturer (Risk Management) at the Faculty of Business & Management, UiTM Johor.