Introduces three articles that identify various types of database management programs, discuss their basic features and some typical applications and present a table of the leading programs available; profile several companies that are utilizing database management systems; and illustrate several unusual home applications for hobbyists. (MBR)

The paper develops a suggested model of process space for the Input, Process, Product, and Impact (IPPI) model of vocational education. Part 1 presents the need; Part 2 develops a schema for classifying process variables (human, physical, and organizational); their interactive nature is reflected in a dual classification system which enables users…

A decision support system integrates individuals' intellectual resources with computer capabilities to improve decision-making quality. This paper presents the theoretical aspects of decision making and decision support and shows how the theories can be applied in developing an operational management decision-making support system for room booking…

The inputs to mathematical models of library operations require periodic updating. The data collection effort necessary for such updating can be quite expensive; however, if the data collected can serve multiple purposes, the costs can perhaps be justified. A management information system (MIS) offers a vehicle for multiple uses of data, and thus…

An educational management information system is a network of communication channels, information sources, computer storage and retrieval devices, and processing routines that provide data to educational managers at different levels, places, and times to facilitate decisionmaking. Management information systems should be differentiated from…

Over the past several years there has been considerable speculation concerning the role, direction, and characteristics of information processing systems in the future. The gap between the technological state of the art in computer-based information processing and today's applied practices in management information systems further clouds the…

One hundred and fifty bibliographic entries, dealing with the subject of management information systems, are divided into sections for books and for periodicals. The latter section is further subdivided according to years of publication, although no attempt has been made to gather articles that appeared prior to 1969. (WM)

Some basic conceptual tools, knowledge, and experience that help evaluate needs for a management support system (MSS) to meet the planning and management challenges in academe are presented. An MSS must integrate the planning, control, forecasting, modeling, reporting, computing, and data administration functions of the system. (MLW)

This paper describes an investigation of the effects of group interaction and consensus on information processing behavior when information is received sequentially or simultaneously by the information processing unit. Responses were compared to the Bayesian norm and further analyzed to determine the extent to which groups differed from…

The purpose of this paper is to argue for cost-effectiveness analysis as an aid to decisionmaking but not as a substitute for it. An attempt is made to demonstrate that it is possible to present information about educational programs that is far more useful to decisionmakers than the oversimplified and often dangerous approaches now in use.…

Seven institutional research maxims based on research and theory about how people cognitively process information are discussed: more may not be better; augment humans with models; chunk data wisely; know decision-makers; heuristics are not always helpful; arrange tables by patterns; and accept negative evidence and new hypotheses. (Author/MLW)

Oversight information systems provide data to oversight agency managers that enable them to: (1) monitor the operations of agencies for which they are charged oversight responsibilities; (2) compare performance data against set performance criteria; and (3) identify exceptions that occur outside performance tolerance parameters. This research…

This document proceeds from the model presented in ED 088 147 outlining in general form some of the issues and needs in a management information system (MIS) for the National Institute of Education (NIE). This report discusses management information issues and needs more concretely. The discussion is related to planning, developing, and operating…

The development of a State University System of Florida data management system is discussed with special emphasis on its user controlled aspects. Major components described include system documentation, computer data files, regional data centers, computing networks, and uniform transaction systems. (Author/MLW)

The Executive information System (EIS), a decision support system for the executive, is defined, a comparison is made between EIS and its predecessors, and the differences between EIS in academic institutions vis-a-vis private business firms are discussed. An outline is also provided of the technological and data requirements for executive…