It is argued that computer networks proliferate to such an extent that individuals and organisations, for the most part, might as well give up in their efforts to protect most of their databases. Moreover, most of the information required for management decision-making processes is open and readily available on the web. As for individuals, it is not certain whether privacy is what they are looking for. The virtual community networks and the global social networks (e.g., Facebook, Linkedin, Youtube, and blogging) provide counter-privacy-seeking examples. Electronic information and on-line data analysis are accessible to everybody, be it an individual, a firm or a government. This eventuality heralds the dawn of a new era for society – the open information society (OIS).

This article focuses on organisations rather than on individuals. It explains why an open information society is inevitable and how this stage of societal development has almost been reached. In particular, the implications for organisation management are discussed.

The assertion presented is that shared information may lead businesses to evolve toward one of two possible extremes: global monopolies or a much more creative and sophisticated form of management.

As far as relationships between individuals and organisations are concerned, the OIS may generate either a new form of feudalism, in which the organisation fully controls its employees (“1984” augmented with information technology), or better and improved processes of recruitment and human communications.

With regard to the protection and the search for information, it is better to focus on tightening security for a very limited segment of the organisational information thus freeing up resources that may then be directed toward “legal” searches in open information depositories.