Relation of the systems and procedures function to electronic data processing and management;

              Relation of the Systems and Procedures Function to Electronic Data Processing and Management
BY VIRGIL F. BLANK Partner, San Francisco Office
Presented at the Systems and Procedures Course of American Management Association, Los Angeles—October 1959
TODAY there is a major emphasis within the business community on systems and procedures development. Why is this? Prin­cipally
because of three factors: (1) increased clerical activity and its associated costs, (2) management's interest in more effective con­trol
reports, and (3) availability of powerful data-processing equip­ment.
Now let us look at the reasons for this particular session's being offered within the framework of this systems and procedures course:
• It should broaden your knowledge of one of the newer (and
more glamorous) areas requiring application of systems and procedures effort—namely installation of electronic data-processing (EDP) systems.
• It will illustrate the manner in which the entire range of sys­tems
and procedures techniques is brought together and used in EDP work.
• It should acquaint you with some of the reasons for a high
degree of management participation in the EDP project.
• Of most importance, it affords an opportunity for you to ex­change
some of your ideas on certain of the problems re­lating
to the selection, design, and installation of an elec­tronic
data-processing system.
In proceeding, we shall first determine our objective. In this case it will be to decide what it is we are really trying to do when we start on an EDP project. Then we shall inquire as to why we are directing our attention to electronic data processing. Next, we shall review management's problems relating to this type of system so as to orient and confine our efforts within a proper scope. Then, finally, we shall examine some of the systems and procedures techniques peculiar to the installation of an electronic data-processing system.
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