The first in a planned series on how to improve the productivity of public libraries, this overview identifies analytical techniques that can save time and energy. Four references are listed. (MES)

Uses a prototype decision problem to demonstrate usefulness of an electronic spreadsheet in analyzing decision trees and performing other types of decision analysis. Advantages and disadvantages of implementing operations research/management science models on electronic spreadsheets are discussed and some do's and don't's are suggested. (Author)

Cautions that, taken to its logical extreme, economic theory ignores the importance of implementation, implies lack of choice in organization decision making, and makes the organization a nonentity. Outlines the fundamental differences between behavioral and economic approaches to business policy. (63 references) (MLF)

The greater organizational complexity of libraries and information centers in recent years has given rise to more complex problems for managers. To facilitate solutions, operations research (OR) techniques have been developed that consider the quantitative dimensions of problems along with their political and organizational aspects. Eight standard…

This essay provides commentary on the place of mathematics in the study and practice of educational administration. The incidence of mathematical topics in the writing of the field is explored, and their isolation from each other and from the body of literature is pointed out. Possible areas of synthesis are sought from the traditional use of…