GIS in municipal, public and private agencies.

摘要

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology has been rapidly evolving into practical applications for municipal, public, and private agencies during the past two to three decades.;A GIS consists of a data base containing spatially referenced land-related data, as well as the procedures and techniques for systematically capturing, storing, retrieving, analyzing, processing, updating, and displaying that data. GIS enables the user to manage geographic data more efficiently and enhances the decision-making process for planning purposes.;The scope of this dissertation is the state of the art in GIS. It begins with a brief history of GIS and goes on to examine its use by municipal, public and private agencies around the world by way of illustration and comparison. The aspects of GIS technology touched on include purposes, users, elements, characteristics, and functions. Elements of implementation studied include feasibility, efficiency, accuracy, and functionality. Trends in the technology are then predicted.;The primary objective of this dissertation is to determine the elements that make GIS implementation successful. Its secondary objective of this study is to investigate the GIS-oriented curricula of North American universities with the view of understanding how the universities can best prepare their students for careers in GIS.;The advantages and problems encountered in GIS implementation are laid out. Emphasis is placed on the benefits of a properly implemented GIS over manual record-keeping, while problems are noted from the experiences of the users studied.;In conclusion, recommendations are made to vendors, present and potential users, and academicians.