What does normalization in data management involve?

Normalization in data management involves breaking data elements into more detailed components to ensure a consistent structure across the database. This process enhances the organization of data by reducing redundancy and dependency, leading to improved data integrity and easier data manipulation. By breaking data down into its constituent parts, it becomes more efficient to retrieve and utilize information without unnecessary repetition.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately describe normalization. Combining different data types pertains more to data integration than to normalization processes, which focus on organization rather than amalgamation. Storing data in its original form does not necessarily align with the principles of normalization, as normalization typically requires data to be structured for optimal use rather than left unchanged. Finally, consolidating data into summary reports relates more to data aggregation and reporting rather than normalization, which is fundamentally concerned with the organization of raw data within the database structure.