Management controls in Navy computing centers

Abstract

The rapid growth of information systems technology has created new challenges for the information/computer center management. Major investments in computer hardware and software and expansion of the data processing roles in many organizations has had profound effects on the management of those organizations. A management control system must be used to 1) provide communication between the user and the data processing activity to act in the best interests of the organization, (2) encourage effective and efficient use of the information resource, and (3) provide information relevant to future investment decisions. Each organization has specific organizational objectives that change over time and therefore requires a control system mechanism that must be sufficiently flexible to continue to meet those objctives. This thesis provides a managerial guide by which a computing facility manager can implement a management control system or evaluate an existing system.