Timeliness is the key. It's a peddle to the medal race for faster and faster information.
The Value of information is greatest at the time the event occurs. Making decisions operating a business is much like making decisions operating in the cockpit of an airplane. Real Time Management (RTM) is paramount and relys on Real Time Information (RTI). It is plain to see the value of data when you need air traffic control and you are approaching clouds or when flying "in the soup". Every second and minute counts when things aren't clear. Yet it is not so plain to see that information looses value every second, minute, hour, day, and week that goes by when operating a business. Notice the words on the instruments and the cockpit panel graphic to visualize where to use bar code and other forms of automatic data collecion. Bar Code and Automatic Data Collection is the key to successful RTI and RTM.