Selection of automated office systems: a case study

Recent technological advances have made possible the automation of traditional office functions such as document preparation, storage, retrieval, inter-personal communication, etc. With the increased pervasiveness of office systems technology, selection of the appropriate technology components can be a complex and difficult task. There is a need for a methodology to aid in selecting office systems components based on the needs of the particular operating environment. In this paper, we propose to structure the selection problem in a hierarchical fashion, with the top level representing the single overall objective, the intermediate level(s) representing the users' needs, and the lowest level representing the viable candidate set of alternative office systems to be evaluated. A recently developed technique termed analytical hierarchies is employed, and a case study is presented to illustrate how the technique can be used in the selection of office systems components.     

The statistician and the manager

Rational management depends upon the provision and proper use of information about the determinants and probable consequences of decisions. The provision of this information is a task best left to the services of a statistician who is professionally competent and himself uncommitted to policy and therefore in a position to offer objective judgment. What is required is an effective dialogue between the manager who asks pertinent questions and the statistician who provides relevant answers. How can this dialogue be made effective? Can the manager trust the statistician? Will the statistician be listened to? This paper examines the conditions necessary to ensure mutual trust between manager and information services. It offers guidelines for the behaviour of both parties to the dialogue.     

The quality debate: Consumer Bill of Rights

Inherent in any discussion on quality for a delivered service is understanding what outcomes you want to achieve and assuring that your consumer agrees. The Presidential Commission's Consumer Bill of Rights supports this principle. Its' goals include: strengthening consumer confidence by providing them with a system responsive to their needs and with a credible mechanism to address their concerns; reaffirming the importance of a strong relationship between patients and their health care providers; and, reaffirming the role consumers play in safeguarding their own health. Striking the balance between cost and quality requires all the stakeholders of the health care system to focus on the true issues that impact quality: outcomes, accountability, and consumer satisfaction, however defined.     

The tobacco wars: back to the states

With the United States Senate's failure to pass comprehensive tobacco legislation, the fight to recover public health costs from big tobacco shifts back to the states. The question for those working to reduce youth smoking rates is whether that battle can be accomplished at the state level.