The bureaucratic side of computers: Memory, evocation and management information

Management information systems fail to support management because they are not flexible enough to keep pace with the unstructured nature of decision making processes. Observations made in four welfare management information systems suggest that computerization improves evocation-the means by which decision makers pool data from the collective memory, only to the extent that choices and the relevancy of data are predetermined. Facing rigid procedures and irresponsiveness to irregular data needs, managers of all ranks duplicate the computerized memory with manual records and files so as to retain access to their memory under their terms.