Publications and Research
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-1981
Abstract
AN INTEGRATED INFORMATION CAPABILITY FOR POLICY ANALYSIS INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY 0 Consideration of optimum organizational structures for maximum effectiveness of quantitative information flows in support of policy decisions seems to be haphazard, nonexistent, or at best secondary to other organizational issues. As a result we undertook to examine data bases, data flows, and their related models and analyses, with a view to developing reconnnended organizational characteristics. "Study of information organizations and their supporting data and models reveals that common data bases, models and analysis all coincide with common uses. Further, common use equates to common levels of organizational (dis)aggregation. The advantages of connnonality are within similar levels of aggregation. Most disadvantages arise from attempting to work across these levels. As a result of these findings, it is recommended that policy organizations which are information supported create an integrated data base (with models) for analysis at that specific organizational level. This organization would handle interactions with other organizations and with satellite data bases. 0 Satellite data bases are recommended for specific analyses of interest to one level of management and which relate to a different level of management. Usually, such analyses concern lower levels of organization and are comparative in nature.