F. Warren McFarlan
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Abstract
An addendum to the Report of the ACM Curriculum Committee on Computer Education for Management is proposed. The proposed addendum is to include in the curriculum a course on Information Systems Administration. It is important for two reasons: (1) the systems designer must understand the administrative framework in which he must operate to work effectively, and (2) an important objective of the curriculum recommendations is to prepare the future manager of the computer activity. It is felt that the importance of these two reasons justifies the addition of the recommended course. The course is outlined in the format of the original report.
- 1 Planning for information systems McFarlan, Nolan, Norton (1973), Ch. 2; Iv{cFadan (1971); Schwartz (1970); Zanl (1970).Google Scholar
- 2 Computer-based project management Benningson (1971); Bower (1970); McFarlan, Nolan, Norton (1973), Ch. I0; McFarlan (1973); Shaw, Atkins (1970)Google Scholar
- 3 Managing computer operations Anderson (1972); Chu (1971); Ditri, Shaw, Atkius (1971); Ferrara, Nolan (1973); Lyon (1971); McFarian, Nulan, Norton (1973), Ch. 8; Squires (1971); Wasserman (1969).Google Scholar
- 4 Managing computer personnel Ackoff (1967); Ditri, Shaw, Atkins (1971); McFarlan, Nolan, Norton, Ch. 9; Nolan (1973); Schien (1965); Weinburg (1971); Weinwurm (1970).Google Scholar
- 5 Acquiring computer services Feeney (1971); Highleyman (1971); Joslin (1971); McFadan, Nolan, Norton, Ch. 5, 6, 7; Poliski (1971).Google Scholar
- 6 Management control o f the computer resource McFarlan, Nolan, Norton, Ch. 11; Neflsen (1970); Rettus, Smith (1972); Schmidt (1968); Squires (1971).Google Scholar
- 7 Organizational design for information systems Glaser (1970); McFarlan, Nolan, Norton (1973), Ch. 12; Rerckenbach, Tosso (1968); Withington (1972).Google Scholar
- Ackoff, R.L. (1967) Management misinformation system. Management Science, 14, 4, B147-BI56.Google ScholarDigital Library
- Anderson, Harold A. Jr., and Sargent, Robert G. (1972) Bibliography 31. Modeling, evaluation, and performance measurement of tlme-sharing systems. CR 13, 12, 603-608. This is a bibliography on measurement of computer systems. It is an emerging area. Several journal articles can be assigned from the bibliography to focus on what measurement is, and what computer management's role is.Google Scholar
- Benningson, L. (1971) The strategy of running temporary projects. Innovation 24. Although this article does not specifically focus on computer projects, all the characteristics of temporary projects are applicable to computer projects. Accordingly, the principles are equally applicable.Google Scholar
- Bower, Joseph L. (1970) Managing the Resource Allocation Process. Div. of Res. Grad. Sch. of Bus. Admin., Harvard U., Boston. This book reports the result of a case research study in a firm on the capital investment process. It has important implications for allocating computing resources by emphasizing the process and role of senior management.Google Scholar
- Chu, Albert L. (1971) Data entry. Business Automation, 18, 9, 18-27 and 18, 11, 1 6-22.Google Scholar
- Ditri, Arnold E., Shaw, John C., and Atkins, William (1971) Managing the EDP Function. McGraw-Hill, New York.Google Scholar
- Fecney, G. (1971) Computer utilities. Computer Decisions, 13, 11, 42--45.Google Scholar
- Ferrara, Raymond and Nolan, R.L (1973) A new look at computer data entry. d. Systems Management, 24, 2, 24-33.Google Scholar
- Glaser, George (1970) The centralization vs. decentralization issue: Arguments, alternatives, and guidelines. Data Base, 2, 3, I-7.Google Scholar
- Highleymam, W.H. (1971) The economics of business mini's. Manabement Accounting, 33, 4, 12-14-.Google Scholar
- Juslin, E.O. (Ed.) (1971) Analysis, Design and Selection o f Computer Systems. College Reading, Inc., Boston.Google Scholar
- Lyon, John K. (1971) The role of the "data base administrator. Data Base, 3, 4, 11-12.Google Scholar
- McFarlan, F. Warren, Nolan, Richard L , and Norton, David P. (1973) Information Systems Administration. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, New York. This can serve as the text for the course. The text is the result of a four year teaching and course development activity at the Harvard Business School. There are approximately 25 original case studies on information system administration problems which make up about 40 percent of the text. The remaining text is divided between original writings by the authors (40 percent) and contributors (20 percent).Google Scholar
- McFarlan, F. Warren (1971) Problems in planning the information system. Harvard Business Review, 49, 2, 75--89. McFarlan surveys the planning activity for the computer resource in three major orgaltizations, He assesses the characteristics of an effective planning system.Google Scholar
- McFarlan, F. Warren (1973) EDP management audit. Harvard Business Review, 51-3, 131-142.Google Scholar
- Nielsen, N.R. (1970) The allocation of computer resources--Is pricing the answer? Comm. ACM 13, 8, 467-474. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Nolan, Richard L. (1973) Plight of the MIS manager. Harvard Business Review, 51-3, 143-152.Google Scholar
- Pliski, I. (1971) A new breed of service company. Business Automation, 18, 5, 26-34.Google Scholar
- Rerckenbach, R.R., and Tosso, C.R. (1968) Organizing for Data Processing. American Management Association, Res. Study No. 92, New York.Google Scholar
- Rettus, R.C., and Smith, R.A. (1972) Accounting control of data processing. Systems J., 11, 1, 74--92.Google ScholarDigital Library
- Schien, E.H. (1965) Organizational Psychology. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. See especially Chapter 4 where Schien describes the various leadership styles and the assmnptions about subordinates.Google Scholar
- Schmidt, S. (1968) Flexible pricing of computer resources, Management Science, 14,10, B581-B600.Google ScholarDigital Library
- Schwartz, M.H. (1970) MIS planning. Datamation, 16, 10, 28-31. Schwartz describes the essential aspects of planning for the MIS activity and notes the need to support the essential decision-making for resource allocation. Accordingly, he advocates a programlnable structure for IVIS planning.Google Scholar
- Shaw, John C., and Atkins, William (1970) Managing Computer System Projects. McGraw-Hill, New York.Google Scholar
- Squires, Burton E. (Ed.) (1971) Economic consideration in managing the computer installation. Second Annual SIGCOSIM Symp., ACM Order Dep., New York.Google Scholar
- Wasserman, Joseph J. (1969) Plugging the leaks in computer security. Harvard Business Review, 47, 5, 119-129.Google Scholar
- Weinberg, Gerald M. (1971) The Psychology o f Computer Programming. Van Nostrand, Princeton, N.J. Google ScholarDigital Library
- Weinwurm, George F. (Ed.) (1970) On the Management of Computer Programming. Auerbach, Princeton, N.J.Google Scholar
- Withington, F.G. (1972) The Organization of the Data Processing Function. Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
- Zani, William (1970) Blueprint for MIS. Harvard Business Review, 48, 6, 95-100.Google Scholar
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