Intended to provide assistance to non-technical end-users in evaluating the applicability of microcomputer-based systems to their needs and in choosing appropriate systems, this document recommends first identifying requirements and then identifying and evaluating alternative sources for application software, system software and hardware, and…

An experiment with variable work hours in one department of a large company was so successful that it has become standard procedure in various corporate areas, both staff and line. The result? Increased production, fewer errors, improved employee morale, and a significant reduction in lateness and absenteeism. (Author)

Discussed is the concept of "organizational development," which is a process of planned change that is organizationwide and iterative in its examination of problems, design of strategies, and evaluation of outcomes. (Author/SB)

This article has attempted to: (1) describe several dimensions of organization-environment fit; (2) describe some concepts which can be used in diagnosing the degree to which a school system's organization matches the demands and needs of its environment; (3) present some implications of such a diagnosis for OD [organizational development]…

Discusses the concept of "organizational development," which is a process of planned change that is organizationwide and iterative in its examination of problems, design of strategies, and evaluation of outcomes, but considers two components that previous OD interventions omitted: parents and students. (Author/SB)

Discusses the concept of "organizational development" (OD) and its relationship to educational change and reviews the five articles in this issue of the journal in the preceding pages 135-238. (SB)

Discussed is the adequacy of special teacher preparation programs, and examined are problems related to alternative views of program change. (MC)

The financial condition of public employee retirement systems, including teacher retirement systems (TRSs), has become a matter of public concern, intensified by recent debate over the future of the Social Security System. This report provides some basic data about TRS financial condition. It reviews how to assess TRS financial health, discusses…

This document presents a research effort intended to improve the economic information available for formulating politics and making decisions related to Information Analysis Centers (IAC's) and IAC services. The project used a system of IAC information activities to analyze the functional aspects of IAC services, calculate the present value of net…

Two systematic ways of analyzing and planning the components of a program or project, both used extensively by industry and government, are discussed in this paper. The methods are Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) Networks and Critical Path Method (CPM) Arrow Diagrams. The purposes of this paper are (1) to explore the need for…

SUCH QUESTIONS AS WHY AND HOW OPERATIONS RESEARCH (OR) AND SYSTEMS ANALYSIS ORIGINATED, WHAT THEY ARE, AND WHAT CONTRIBUTIONS THEY MIGHT MAKE TO INSTRUCTIONAL MEDIA PROGRAMS ARE ANSWERED. "OR" ORIGINATED AT THE OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR II WHEN MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH HAD BEEN DEVELOPING THEIR TECHNOLOGY FASTER THAN IT COULD BE…

CONTRIBUTIONS OF MASS-PRODUCED INFORMATION AND ENTERTAINMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC IMAGES IN EDUCATION WERE INVESTIGATED IN THE UNITED STATES, WESTERN EUROPE, AND EASTERN EUROPE. THIS PROJECT SERVED TO CREATE A MODEST HISTORICAL DIMENSION AND A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE OF CERTAIN DYNAMIC ASPECTS OF MASS MEDIA EDUCATION…

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS SHOULD BE APPLIED TO SCHOOL PLANNING TO PROVIDE A GENERAL FRAMEWORK WITHIN WHICH EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES CAN BE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE MOST REASONABLE MANNER. SYSTEMS ANALYSIS METHODS INTEGRATE THE DIFFERING VALUES OF EDUCATORS INTO COMMON OBJECTIVES. SUCCESSFUL USE OF PROGRAM BUDGETING DEPENDS ON (1) PLANNING, STRUCTURAL DESIGN, AND…