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This research seeks to determine the extent and direction of computerization of records systems in businesses with identifiable records departments. The data collection methodology was on‐site interviews and inspection of facilities in ten businesses selected from cities with populations of more than 100,000 in the western United States. The findings indicate that records managers are rapidly installing computer programs for tracking records. There was little evidence that traditional paper records were being moved to a digital format though the possibility was mentioned frequently. Records management and data processing departments cooperate, but no trend to integrate them is evident.

A survey of the current state of documentation practice in museums is presented. This concentrates on the broad themes of the practice, making comparisons with analogous library procedures, where appropriate. A brief introduction to museums and their organizational framework within the United Kingdom is given. With this as background, the methods of documentation used by museums are reviewed, and a survey presented of current developments on an international and national scale.

This paper charts the technological developments that have taken place within primary health care during the last 20 years, drawing upon previous research and presenting new survey findings on the current state of computerisation. The survey reveals that 96 per cent of UK practices use a clinical computer system, with repeat and acute prescribing, the collation of annual data and audits/searches being the most well used applications. The move towards the so‐called “paperless” practice is strongly related to GPs’ computing expertise, with larger practices more likely to have gone in this direction. Over half of GP practices now have access to the Internet. Improvement of computing skills appears a major determinant of successful integration of technology within a practice. There is a need to develop a social architecture and learning environment that allows GPs to provide good quality health care with clinical computer systems at its heart.

The main objective of this study was to analyse the economics of introducing IT in the maintenance department. The economics in this case was determined by conducting a quantitative analysis on the reduction of operational costs, on increase in productivity and on quality improvement. A comparison was made to analyse company performance in the maintenance before and after the introduction of IT in the maintenance department. The analysis shows that there were reductions of operational and inventory holding costs. Likewise, it was shown that there was also improvement in product quality and productivity.

The computerisation of a government department is a very challenging process as it involves multiple stakeholders and power centers. Stakeholder identification as well as designing a system specific to the needs of a particular department can be a complex process. The computerisation of a police department in ASWI was initiated in the mid 90s but had not been a success. The case illustrates the challenges of the computerisation process in a bureaucratic environment. With multiple touch points and interdependent processes, designing and successfully implementing a technology solution for such an environment could be a major challenge. The case provides an opportunity to understand the reasons for IT project failures. The managerial strategies that can make an IT project successful and the situations in which these strategies can also be discussed.

Problems are experienced when introducing computerised systems by libraries in countries remote from the major centres of development and expertise in the field of library computerisation. Main problems identified are those of lack of expertise of librarians and of hardware and software suppliers, a limited market for such systems in these ‘remote’ countries and hence a limited range of appropriate hardware and particularly software available or marketed, a reliance on the products and support of major computer suppliers, and access to relatively limited resources leaving little scope for the adaptation of existing library software to suit local needs or for the development of new systems. Solutions to these problems lie in cooperation and coordination of library computerisation so that maximum benefit can be derived from available resources and expertise, a conscious effort being made to become as self‐reliant as available resources will allow, the use of library systems developed abroad with as little adaptation as possible being made to them, the careful evaluation of those systems available as well as of their suppliers, and possibly in future a greater use of dedicated mini‐ and microcomputer‐based systems as such systems become more readily available. The problems and solutions discussed are illustrated by referring to the experience of library computerisation in the Republic of South Africa.

Presents the process of implementing the HORIZON computing system in the University Library and other libraries of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan´, Poland. Details of the cooperation within libraries belonging to the Poznan´ Foundation of Scientific Libraries and other libraries implementing the HORIZON system and working within the agreement Library with Horizon are given, together with a description of the work in creating the central library catalogue in Poland.

The majority of industrial libraries are small, and this is particularly true of those in the construction industry. There is therefore a lack of information about actual library practice in this area. This survey was carried out as part of a Ph.D. research project at the University of Aston in Birmingham, the major part of which was concerned with the computerization of the library of Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd. The survey was done to see how far this library was typical, and whether computerization would be beneficial elsewhere. In this summary of the survey I have concentrated on the general aspects of construction industry libraries, and only briefly discuss computerization.

Proposes using the analytic concept of genre of organizational communication to study the organizational consequences of implementing clinical information systems and shifting from paper‐based to electronic patient records in clinical practices. By focusing research attention on interpersonal communication and social interaction issues not addressed in medical informatics research, this approach contributes to the understanding of organizational and institutional issues that implementing such systems may entail. The paper develops an example drawn from an in‐depth case study of a computerized order entry system to illustrate the insights this approach may provide.

This paper aims to show that the meaning of development influencing the design of ICT for development (ICT4D) projects is important in deciding what purpose they will eventually serve.

Through a review of the literature on development and technology studies, the paper shows how different meanings of development guide technology usage and policy choice for land reforms. A case study of a land records computerization project in India is used to reinforce this claim.

By explaining alternative manifestations of interlinkages between development and technology, the paper demonstrates that the design choice, especially the content and service delivery model, for an ICT4D project gets influenced by the development context within which it is set.

The focus of the paper has been restricted to a limited context of information and communication technology usage – to land reforms as a development objective, in a relatively better‐off province of India. Future research will include ICT4D projects in other domains and in different socio‐economic settings.

The findings will encourage ICT4D policy makers and project designers to broaden their perspectives of what constitutes development and explicitly acknowledge the importance of development contexts in influencing the outcomes of ICT4D projects.

Prior research in ICT4D has not looked explicitly at the influence of development contexts in informing technology design. The paper attempts to fill this gap by tracing design choices to the contexts of technology use created through alternative understanding of the objectives of development. This can be of help to researchers looking at issues of technology use for societal development and for policy makers and project designers entrusted with the choice of technology.