An Evaluation of Data Processing Growth within the Air Staff.
Abstract
The Air Staff is establishing an Air Staff Information Management System (ASIMS) to satisfy the expanding information requirements of the air Staff and aid in problem-solving and decision-making. In order to properly implement ASIMS, an evaluation of the current data/information processing state at the Air Staff is necessary. Richard Nolan's theory on the data processing evolution within an organization contends that there are six distinct stages of data processing growth an organization evolves through and provides criteria for stage determination. This study finds that Nolan's theory can be modified for a military (nonprofit) organization. Using the data collected from Air Force budget documents and interviews, the Air Staff is moving into Nolan's Integration stage of data processing growth. The Air Staff is beginning to limit data duplication, and there is a shift in emphasis from managing the computer to managing the data/information resources. The results indicated the optimum organizational emphasis for the Air Staff to continue its data processing evolution is to encourage innovation and limit control of the data processing resources. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA124083
Entities
People
- Larry G. Radov
- Stanley A. Sneegas
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology