Mainframe is used for hosting large commercial databases, transaction servers and applications that require a greater degree of reliability, scalability and security. Customer Information Control System (CICS) is a mainframe software framework for implementing transaction services. It is designed for rapid, high-volume online processing. In order…

Companies purchase computer systems to make their processes more efficient through automation. Some academic medical centers (AMC) have purchased computer systems for their institutional review boards (IRB) to increase efficiency and compliance with regulations. IRB computer systems are expensive to purchase, deploy, and maintain. An AMC should…

This paper presents a practitioner's view on student system implementations in the Australian university sector. A student information system is a core system of any university and integral to its operations and services to students. These systems are constantly on the list of major projects and at any point in time, a university is either…

Cost data were collected from eighteen computer-based systems in the U.S.A. and Europe. Analysis of the data shows costs affected more significantly by system management, salary variations, and productivity of staff, than by technical factors such as depth of indexing, data preparation methods, or computer programming. (4 references) (Author/SJ)

A personal overview of the economics of computer use in information systems. (PF)

This report describes approaches to database translation (i.e., transferring data and data definitions from a source, either a database management system (DBMS) or a batch file, to a target DBMS), and recommends a method for representing the data structures of newly-proposed network and relational data models in a form suitable for database…

This study of the development of international data networks, a phenomena of the 1970's, and policy issues arising from their use is an in depth investigation of 24 private and six public European networks commissioned from Logica Limited and sponsored by the governments of France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden. The report…

Models administrative and operating costs surrounding a hypermedia database and identifies seven conditions for the cost justification of hypermedia. Concludes that cost considerations aside, hypermedia offers significant data retrieval benefits in accessing text, video, still pictures, and sound, and provides substantially better human…

The costs of creating and maintaining permanent files and retrieving keyword title indexes in TRIAL (Technique for Retrieving Information from Abstracts of Literature) are presented. This system, which is used for bibliographic control and file efficiency, is relatively easy to learn and use, and popular with school, academic, business, and…

The Ohio State Libraries hosted an institute to involve participants in a discussion of the Library Circulation System (LCS). Five papers were presented which were devoted to: (1) the historical background and philosophy surrounding the decision of The Ohio State University Libraries to involve themselves in the field of automation; (2) the…

Cost effectiveness of the QUERY program for searching the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) data base has been an important issue at Auburn University. At least two broad categories of costs are associated with information retrieval from a data base such as ERIC: fixed costs or overhead and data base associated costs. The concern at…

In this information system, sponsored research information is routinely forwarded, in machine-readable form, from NIH to Columbia, to the benefit of each. The promotion of future systems development is enhanced through the adoption of standardized data element designations and definitions. (LBH)

Methods by which campuses with similar information needs for similar decisions can set up a common data base are identified and discussed. Advantages and disadvantages of achieving the common data base by bulk paperwork, functional objectives, and piecemeal empiricism are considered. Practical suggestions for instituting each method are given. Use…

Four major discussions are presented related to economic issues involved with property rights as applied to computer software and data bases. The first discussion qualitatively compares the relative incentives to computer software producers found in alternative regimes of copyright and trade secrecy. The latter is found to have certain…

This report outlines economic components that will eventually contribute to large models of electronic text services in institutions of higher education, and provides a simple and practical assessment of economic issues associated with electronic text for college administrators, faculty, and planners. This assessment constitutes a layman's guide…