Computers,Modeling,and Management Education

There is another viewpoint, namely that analytic methods have been too successful, and have contributed to unsound management decisions. For a discussion of this see Leavitt H. J. , “Beyond the Analytic Manager,” Parts I and II, California Management Review (Spring and Summer 1975), pp. 5–12 and 11–21.

Simon H. A. , “The New Sciences of Management Decision,” Chapter 3 in The Shape of Automation (New York: Harper & Row, 1965), p. 58.

See, for example: Mintzberg H. , “The Myths of MIS,” California Management Review (Fall 1972), p. 96; Brady R. , “Computers in Top-Level Decision Making,” Harvard Business Review (July-August 1967), pp. 67–76; Churchill N. Kempster J. H. Uretsky M. , Computer-Based Information Systems for Management: A Survey (New York: National Association of Accountants, 1969); and Lucas H. C. Jr. , “An Empirical Study of a Framework for Information Systems,” Decision Sciences (January 1974), pp. 102–113.

The literature about this issue is large. As examples, see: Brown R. V. , “Do Managers Find Decision Theory Useful,” Harvard Business Review (May-June 1970), pp. 78–89; Grayson C. J. Jr. , “Management Science and Business Practice,” Harvard Business Review (July-August 1973), pp. 41–48; Grindlay A. A. Cummer G. , “Comment: Computer-Based Decision Systems and Canadian Management,” Management Science pp. 572–574; Hall W. K. , “Strategic Planning Models: Are Top Managers Really Finding Them Useful?” Journal of Business Policy (Winter 1972/1973), pp. 33–42; Huysman J. H. B. M. , The Implementation of Operations Research (New York: John Wiley, 1970); and Radnor M. Neal R. D. , “The Progress of Management Science Activities in Large U.S. Industrial Corporations,” Operations Research (March-April 1973), pp. 427–450.

Huysman J. H. B. M. , “Operations Research Implementation and the Practice of Management,” in Schultz R. L. Slevin D. P. , eds., Implementing Operations Research/Management Science (New York: American Elsevier Publishing Co., Inc., 1975), pp. 273–289.

Sprague C. R. , “Barriers to Progress in Information Systems Design: Technological or Not,” Data Base (December 1973), pp. 115–118; and Meader C. L. Ness D. N. , “Decision Support Systems: An Application to Corporate Planning,” Sloan Management Review (Winter 1974), pp. 51–68.

See for example: Boulden J. B. McLean E. R. , “An Executive's Guide to Computer-Based Planning,” California Management Review (Fall 1974), pp. 59–68. See also: Boulden J. B. , Computer Assisted Planning Systems (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1975); Hayes R. H. Nolan R. L. , “What Kind of Corporate Modeling Functions Best,” Harvard Business Review (May-June 1974), pp. 51–68. See also Keen P. G. Morton M. S. Scott , Decision Support Systems (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley, 1978).

Little J. D. C. , “Models and Managers: Concept of a Decision Calculus,” Management Science (April 1970), pp. B-466–485.

Churchman C. W. Schainblatt A. H. , “The Researcher and the Manager: A Dialectic of Implementation,” Management Science (February 1965), pp. B-69–87.

Holden P. E. Pederson C. A. Germane G. E. , Top Management (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1968).

Morgan H. L. Soden J. V. , “Understanding MIS Failures,” Data Base (Winter 1973), pp. 157–168.

For more details see: Hammond J. S. III , “The Role of the Manager and Management Scientist in Successful Implementation,” Sloan Management Review (Winter 1974), pp. 1–24.

Grayson , op. cit.

See for example: Doktor R. H. Hamilton W. F. , “Cognitive Style and the Acceptance of Management Science Recommendations,” Management Science (April 1973), pp. 884–894; Mason R. O. Mitroff I. I. , “A Program for Research on Management Information Systems,” Management Science (January 1973), pp. 475–487; McKenney J. L. , “Computer Based Models as Adaptive Communicators Between Different Cognitive Styles,” in Kriebel C. H. Van Horn R. L. Heames J. T. , eds., Management Information Systems: Progress and Perspectives (Pittsburgh: GSIA, Carnegie-Mellon University, 1971); and Morris W. T. , “Interaction and Relevance,” Management Science (December 1967), pp. B-157–165.

McKenney J. L. Keen P. G. W. , “How Managers' Minds Work” Harvard Business Review (May-June 1974), p. 83.

See Hammond , op. cit., for an excellent discussion of this point. However, for some evidence that runs contrary to this hypothesis, see Lucas H. C. , The Implementation of Computer Based Models (New York: National Association of Accountants, 1976), pp. 58–60.

Argyris C. , “Management Information Systems: The Challenge to Rationality and Emotionality,” Management Science (February 1971), pp. B-275–292.

It should be noted that many of these problems were not considered so routine and structured until after they had been formalized by OR/MS analysis. Production scheduling is a case in point. After successful models had been developed, it often ceased to be of top management concern.

Radnor Neal , op. cit.

See: Couger J. D. , “Producing a Computer–Oriented Manager,” Journal of Systems Management (May 1969), pp. 22–27; Lucas H. C. Jr. Larreche J. C. Montgomery D. B. , “Integrating the Computer into a Business School Curriculum,” Decision Sciences (April 1974), pp. 268–283; and McKenney J. L. Tonge F. M. , “The State of Computer Oriented Curricula in Business Schools, 1970,” Communication of the ACM (July 1971), pp. 443–448.

For a good history of games, see: Cohen K. J. Rhenman E. , “The Role of Management Games in Education and Research,” Management Science (January 1961), pp. 131–166.

There are many games that have been published. As an example see; McKenney J. L. , Simulation Gaming for Management Development (Boston: Division of Research, Graduate School of Business Administration, Harvard University, 1967). For a general survey, see Wahi P. N. , “Difficult Decisions Made Easy Through Interactive Games,” Computer Decisions (December 1973), pp. 18–21.

For details of such courses see: Teichroew D. , “Education Related to the Use of Computers,” Communication of the ACM (September 1971), pp. 573–588.

Morris W. T. , “On the Art of Modeling,” Management Science (August 1967), pp. B-707–717.

There is strong evidence that success in modeling or designing MIS systems depends upon support and involvement of the manager. See Powers R. F. Dickson G. W. , “MIS Project Management: Myths, Opinions, and Reality,” California Management Review (Spring 1973), p. 152ff.; and Naylor T. H. Schauland H. , “A Survey of Users of Corporate Planning Models,” Management Science (May 1976), p. 935ff.