Explores the five general patterns of entropy in organizations and shows how they can be conceptually mapped onto a single model. Elaborates on the model to indicate the broad utility of this concept for persons responsible for organizational control. (Author)

Developed a multivariate, causal model of the influences of childbearing and early child rearing, to investigate the impact of teenage mothers upon their children. Data analysis indicated socioeconomic status was the strongest influence upon each variable. Found the influence of maternal age in the opposite direction to socioeconomic status.…

Describes a new method designed to identify defects in existing instructional programs so that ineffective parts may be repaired, and poor programs may be replaced with better ones. Four references are listed. (MER)

Effects of organizational development interventions depend on type of product organization is concerned with (end vs process), type of organization (input vs output), and field of forces in situations (driving vs restraining). OD results depend on accuracy of system analysis, intervening correctly, and encouraging belief of positive effects.…

Included in this article is a discussion of operations research and systems analysis which attack large-scale problems and challenges other relevant sciences to unite with society to solve widespread social problems. (Author/SA)

A guide for organizational development specialists, this model for productivity improvement proceeds through six stages: awareness of needs, entry of specialist, data collection, problem identification, action planning, and implementation of solutions. Examples of specific activities for each stage are provided. (SK)

An automated food service accounting system allows management to concentrate on the problems at hand. (Author/MLF)

Describes an interactive computer program that can solve most common control problems arising in chemical engineering. (MLH)

Notes that the pursuit of meaning in drama is part of a larger pursuit of the means by which meaning is created and shared. Explains that a systems analysis allows researchers to step back from the subject, to imagine, and construct connections more clearly. Concludes that systems analysis is a useful tool in finding a language appropriate to a…

Describes a study that investigated the use of computer conferencing and face-to-face communications to support the work of student teams in a systems analysis project. Compares differences in decision quality, teams' confidence in the group decision, and teams' satisfaction with the overall decision process. (Author/LRW)

Two studies involving a total of 185 college freshmen illustrate the ways in which family maps--defined through role playing and multidimensional scaling analysis--offer a diagnostic means of understanding current and hypothetical familial interactions, including how children perceive their places in the family. (SLD)

Analyzes the relationship of Saddleback Community College's structure to functions and outcomes in the context of current changes in structure at the state level. (KEH)

Discusses the evolution of mainframe and personal computers, and presents a case study of a network developed at the University of Iowa called the Iowa Computer-Aided Engineering Network (ICAEN) that combines Macintosh personal computers with Apollo workstations. Functional objectives are stressed as the best measure of system performance. (LRW)