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Management utilization of computers in American local governments

Authors:

William H. Dutton,

Kenneth L. KraemerAuthors Info & Claims

Communications of the ACM, Volume 21, Issue 3

Pages 206 - 218

https://doi.org/10.1145/359361.359364

Published: 01 March 1978 Publication History

Abstract

Traditional concepts of management information systems (MIS) bear little relation to the information systems currently in use by top management in most US local governments. What exists is management-oriented computing, involving the use of relatively unsophisticated applications. Despite the unsophisticated nature of these systems, management use of computing is surprisingly common, but also varied in its extent among local governments. Management computing is most prevalent in those governments with professional management practices where top management is supportive of computing and tends to control computing decisions and where department users have less control over design and implementation activities. Finally, management computing clearly has impacts for top managers, mostly involving improvements in decision information.

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Index Terms

Management utilization of computers in American local governments

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Computers as an innovation in American local governments
Leading-edge information technologies and American local governments
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This paper describes the high level of support for computer technology among local government chief executives and suggests that this support is explained, in large part, by a generalized “faith in technology.”

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cover image Communications of the ACM

Communications of the ACM Volume 21, Issue 3

March 1978

54 pages

ISSN:0001-0782

EISSN:1557-7317

DOI:10.1145/359361

Editor:
Robert L. Ashenhurst
The Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 1978 ACM.

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 March 1978

Published in CACM Volume 21, Issue 3

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Addo A(2021)Controlling petty corruption in public administrations of developing countries through digitalization: An opportunity theory informed study of Ghana customsThe Information Society10.1080/01972243.2020.1870182(1-23)Online publication date: 16-Feb-2021
https://doi.org/10.1080/01972243.2020.1870182
Renaud KOrgeron CWarkentin MFrench P(2020)Cyber Security Responsibilization: An Evaluation of the Intervention Approaches Adopted by the Five Eyes Countries and ChinaPublic Administration Review10.1111/puar.1321080:4(577-589)Online publication date: 3-Jun-2020
https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.13210
Kraemer KKling R(2016)The Political Character of Computerization in Service Organizations: Citizen Interests or Bureaucratic ControlComputers and the Social Sciences10.1177/0894439385001002021:2(77-89)Online publication date: 4-Aug-2016
https://doi.org/10.1177/089443938500100202
Moon MLee JRoh C(2012)The Evolution of Internal IT Applications and e-Government Studies in Public AdministrationAdministration & Society10.1177/009539971245972346:1(3-36)Online publication date: 1-Oct-2012
https://doi.org/10.1177/0095399712459723
Myeong SChoi Y(2010)Effects of Information Technology on Policy Decision-Making ProcessesAdministration & Society10.1177/009539971036272442:4(441-459)Online publication date: 18-Mar-2010
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Sharif AIrani Z(2010)The logistics of information management within an eGovernment contextJournal of Enterprise Information Management10.1108/1741039101108860023:6(694-723)Online publication date: 19-Oct-2010
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MAN W(1988)Establishing a geographical information system in relation to its use A process of strategic choices†International journal of geographical information systems10.1080/026937988089278992:3(245-261)Online publication date: Jan-1988
https://doi.org/10.1080/02693798808927899
Specht P(1986)Job characteristics as indicants of CBIS data requirementsMIS Quarterly10.2307/24926110:3(271-287)Online publication date: 1-Sep-1986
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.2307/249261
Dutton W(1982)Eighty thousand information systems: The utilization of computing in American local governmentsComputers, Environment and Urban Systems10.1016/0198-9715(82)90065-57:1-2(21-33)Online publication date: Jan-1982
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Haefner KHaefner K(1982)Informationsverarbeitung in Wirtschaft, Industrie und VerwaltungDie neue Bildungskrise10.1007/978-3-0348-5374-3_4(113-150)Online publication date: 1982
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