This discussion of the legal aspects of acquiring a computer system emphasizes the buyer's rights. Guidelines are provided for drafting a contract specific to the individual buyer's needs and modifying the vendor's standard form contract. (EM)

Examines recent developments in field of systems theory that can improve library management practices by broadening perspective in which these problems may be approached. The concept of organizational life cycles is discussed and a paradigm for application of its principles is developed. An Rx decision chart is appended. (9 references) (EJS)

Guidelines to facilitate the assessment and development of educational leadership decision-making skills are presented in this paper. Included are a review of traditional and contemporary concepts of the decision-making process, identification of appropriate techniques, and an analysis of four contemporary decision-making models by Thompson,…

Provides general background on basic concepts of systems theory. Discusses applications of systems theory to computational and inferential chemistry in molecular and reaction systems, systems analysis, and synthesis. Describes methodology for studying chemical systems by computer and gives advantages of an integrated computational environment. (JM)

Two exercises are provided which give students a chance to experience systems, to discover some of the qualities of a system, and some of the implications of interdependence. In the exercises, students assemble a flashlight that does not have all the necessary parts and role play a mechanical system. (Author/DE)

Innovations for dealing with large classes (defined as those with over 60 pupils) are offered in this guide for teachers and administrators. Based on a systems approach, this document describes the difficulties with which teachers of large classes must cope and lists solutions that can be introduced by teachers and administrators at various…

Loose coupling implies the tying together of subsystems in such a fashion that neither can do without the other but neither has much control over the other. The idea of loose coupling, introduced by Karl Weick, is examined in relation to educational administration and organizational analysis in general. The concept employs both a particular theory…

Information systems are becoming more than computer systems, with new equipment and techniques combining with data processing to form a new field called information technology. The emerging discipline of systems engineering is discussed along with nine systems engineering techniques. An organization chart of an information services department is…

This paper defines problems of school officials in dealing with the new information society, and suggests a planning framework applicable to the design of school and district microcomputer systems. Educators' problems in addressing the demands and opportunities of the emergent information society include inadequate comprehension of a major shift…

This manual describes and illustrates ED QUEST (Quick Environmental Scanning Technique), an educational planning model designed to identify emerging issues and events which portend threats and opportunities to colleges and universities, to analyze the probable impact of these variables on the organization, and to facilitate the development of…

Designed to improve the long-term operational efficiency of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Public Schools (MCPS) payroll system, this study begins with an executive summary, including a set of recommendations and a chapter-by-chapter synopsis. Following an introduction to the study and a general description of the payroll system in chapters 1…

Because schools must operate in a changing environment, educators must manage change whether they wish to or not. Administrators must plan accordingly, and the best plans arise from a solid theoretical base. This book provides that base, by drawing on systems theory to develop effective approaches to strategic and operational planning in…

This guide is intended for use in teaching a course in transportation systems. The course, which has been designed for students in grades 9 and 10, is intended to provide a basic understanding of transportation systems and the role of energy systems in transportation. The first two sections discuss the guide's development within the framework of…

This guide is intended for use in teaching a course in the sequential tasks that change a designer's idea into a completed product. Emphasis is placed on the design of a product and the manufacturing system needed to produce it. The first two sections discuss the guide's development within the framework of North Carolina's efforts to improve…

This guide is intended for use in teaching a course in the history of the development of transportation systems and the individual elements in such systems. The course is designed to break transportation systems down into their individual components so as to make it possible to study system types, media, technical elements, and environmental…