The responsibilities of computer science in continuing education for managers

摘要

Jay W. Forrester has defined management as "the process of converting information into action."1. The conversion process is called decision making. To make a decision a manager should (1) identify a set of feasible alternatives, (2) evaluate each of these alternatives and (3) select the alternative which most nearly satisfies his decision criteria.

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Computer science can support this decision making process in two ways: (1) by providing information which is required to identify and evaluate alternatives which involve the acquisition of additional computing capability and (2) by providing systems which aid in the execution of the decision making process. Continuing education is needed in both of these areas. First I will examine the need for specific education to provide information and then I will look at the need for general education in the use of the computer as an aid in managerial decision making.