Book Reviews : Microcomputers for Local Government Planning and Management P.W. Newton and M.A.P. Taylor. Editors Publisher: Hargreen Publishing Company,144 Chetwynd Street,North Melbourne,Vic,3051,Australia Year of Publication: 1986 Materials: 272 pages of text Price: $39.95 (Australian) plus $8 shipping Machine Specificity: General Intended Audience: Public administrators and planning staff Usefulness: Fair Clarity: Good Difficulty: Intermediate

Abstract

This collection of 27 essays on local government presents microcomputing as a major factor in increasing public productivity and responsiveness. Sections cover data management, strategic planning, human factors in planning, infrastructure planning, and planning and management for construction. Written by practitioners and researchers, this volume focuses primarily on locally developed software running on IBM PCs and 32-bit "super-microcomputers" such as Data General and Prime. Extensively footnoted, the volume provides useful illustrations of applications in such areas as population forecasting, land use planning, zoning, household surveys, traffic management, environmental impact assessment, site layout, and energy conservation. Coverage of most topics is pitched at a general level, focusing on issues and illustrations. This is a broad survey rather than a "how-to" applications text. (Staff review)