The value of an enterprise’s information asset base is the amount of benefits or advantages that the enterprise can derive from its information assets, such as data, documents, records, and reports. Information assets are valuable and sensitive resources that need to be protected, managed, and used effectively and efficiently to support and achieve the enterprise’s objectives and goals1. To maximize the value of an enterprise’s information asset base, the best way is to seek additional opportunities to leverage existing information assets. This means finding new or innovative ways to use or reuse the information assets to create more value for the enterprise, such as improving performance, quality, customer satisfaction, innovation, or competitive advantage23. For example, an enterprise can leverage its existing information assets by analyzing them to generate insights, combining them to create new products or services, sharing them with partners or stakeholders to enhance collaboration, or monetizing them to generate revenue23.

The other options are not the best ways to maximize the value of an enterprise’s information asset base. Facilitating widespread user access to all information assets may increase the availability and utilization of the information assets, but it may also compromise their confidentiality and integrity. Not all information assets are appropriate or relevant for all users, and some may contain sensitive or confidential data that need to be restricted or protected1 . Therefore, facilitating widespread user access to all information assets may not maximize their value, but rather increase their risk. Regularly purging information assets to minimize maintenance costs may reduce the storage and management expenses of the information assets, but it may also eliminate their potential value or usefulness. Not all information assets are obsolete or redundant, and some may have long-term or strategic value for the enterprise1 . Therefore, regularly purging information assets to minimize maintenance costs may not maximize their value, but rather decrease their availability. Implementing an automated information management platform may improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the information asset management process, but it may not necessarily increase the value of the information asset base. An automated information management platform is a tool or system that helps to collect, store, process, analyze, and distribute information assets. However, it does not guarantee that the information assets are used or leveraged in optimal ways to create more value for the enterprise23. Therefore, implementing an automated information management platformmay not maximize the value of the information asset base, but rather facilitate its management. References:

2: https://www.gartner.com/smarterwithgartner/why-and-how-to-value-your-information-as-an-asset

1: https://www.cio.com/article/202183/what-is-data-governance-a-best-practices-framework-for-managing-data-assets.html

3: https://www.gartner.com/en/publications/infonomics

https://advisera.com/27001academy/blog/2014/05/12/information-classification-according-to-iso-27001/

https://www.isaca.org/resources/isaca-journal/issues/2017/volume-3/it-asset-valuation-risk-assessment-and-control-implementation-model

https://www.ibm.com/topics/information-management-systems