Decision making in most universities is taught within the conventional OR/MS (Operations Research/Management Science) paradigm. This paradigm is known to be "hard" since it is consisted of mathematical tools, and normally suitable for solving structured problems. In complex situations the conventional OR/MS paradigm proves to be…

The true state of the system described here is characterized by a probability vector. At each stage of the system an action must be chosen from a finite set of actions. Each possible action yields an expected reward, transforms the system to a new state in accordance with a Markov transition matrix, and yields an observable outcome. The problem of…

This report, a clear statement of how one district developed a planning system, offers both a theoretical and a practical approach to providing the superintendent, his staff, and the board of education with a comprehensive planning system instrument for making policy decisions and allocating resources. Also provided are guidelines for involving…

Within an accepted process and measures framework, total program cost over the life of the program, including the life of facility(ies) that house the program, provides a rational decisionmaking environment for the accountable managers. (Author)

Reviews a variety of techniques for evaluating management in libraries. (JB)

This volume presents background information on the project and explains the needs and decisions that actuated its implementation. First year activities and some preliminary teaching material on the concept of PPB (planning-programing- budgeting) in education are also described. The major focus is on a description of the proposed system, a…

Management Information Systems are a successful reality at a vast and increasing number of higher educational institutions. This paper examines the need for and justification of the existence of management information systems and explores the various uses of such systems at all types of higher education related organizations with emphasis on the…

The Program Planning Budgeting Systems (PPBS) approach to decision-making has been adopted by government agencies and many colleges, universities and local school systems. As a result, the quantity of literature has increased phenomenally. This bibliography is intended to assist students, researchers, and practitioners in identifying references in…

This volume describes an automated procedure for multiyear enrollment forecasting in the Trenton, New Jersey, public schools. Enrollment forecasts generated by this procedure will provide enrollment estimates in each district's instructional program. Data required to operate the forecaster will be collected during the second year of its operation.…

Any general systems approach has five basic elements, which serve as the tasks for the researcher using systems analysis. The five are (1) the objectives, (2) the alternatives, (3) the costs, (4) the model (or models), and (5) the decision rule. With these five steps, the researcher should be able to specify the objectives, select alternatives,…

In this era of rapid social change, educational administrators have discovered that new approaches to problem solving and decision making are needed. Systems analysis could afford a promising approach to administrative problems by providing a number of systematic techniques designed to sharpen administrative decision making, enhance efficiency,…

The transition from an elite university to a mass university has characterized modern university life. The purely quantitative development has been accompanied by a number of changes in the decisionmaking system in higher education. No systematic comparative studies exist of the development of the decisionmaking system. A project is under way at…

This paper outlines several considerations relating to the preparation of information systems for educational managers. College and university managers must have clearly stated needs for planning and management information and the potential uses to which such information could be put. Information systems should be created to satisfy operational…

THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO DEVELOP AN INSTRUCTIONAL AND SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO THE DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM. GOALS, OBJECTIVES, STRUCTURE, AND RESPONSIBILITIES FORM THE FRAMEWORK OF A MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM. THE TASK OF A MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM IS TO PROCESS RAW DATA IN SUCH A WAY AS TO…

This monograph, based on a conceptual model called an information support circle, describes a structured management process that can be used by higher education institutions to add value to institutional data and information. The model offers a sequence of (1) thinking about the management and use of data, (2) considering problems in providing…