Question 9.18: Explain the sentence “quality in information transfer depend...
Explain the sentence “quality in information transfer depends on both the producer and the receiver of the information”. Discuss the significance of the information required by the receiver.
Honesty and professionalism in the transfer of (bio)chemical information rests both on the producer (the analytical chemist) and the receiver (the client)—which may or may not coincide with the requester. This is especially important when interpreting the information with a view to proposing or making decisions.
The difference between the information required and that received falls outside the analytical chemical realm but is extremely important. The two can be intentionally mismatched for dishonest purposes. Thus, a firm may be informed that its vegetable produce contains small amounts of a pesticide and yet ignore the analytical information and give its produce the green light for export. This misconduct is not be expected if effective administrative controls (e.g., certification by an accredited laboratory) are established.