Urban Information Systems and Urban Management Decisions and Control
Abstract
Urban Information Systems and Urban Management Decisions and Control SAGE Publications, Inc.1966DOI: 10.1177/107808746600100402 Nathan D.Grundstein Western Reserve University A SYSTEM DEFINITION of general validity has no particular relevance for the content of this paper. At the outset, therefore, all concern with the generic concept of a system will be put to one side. Nor will there be any resort to a formal definition of a system. At the same time, it is conceded that the problem of a formal system definition is not without its difficulties.1 There is no intention in this paper to proceed by examining what exists empirically in the way of automated information installations for urban authorities and then to appraise the extent to which they, as information structures, deviate from the attributes of a formally defined system.2 2 1. David O. Ellis, and Fred J. Ludwig, "Basic Systems Concepts," Systems Phi losophy (New York: Prentice Hall, 1962). Harold Levenstein, and Donald E. Feigen baum, Conference Paper, 1964 Systems Science Conference, IEEE, Philadelphia. S. Sankar Sengupta, and Russell L. Ackoff, "Systems Theory from an Operations Research Point of View," Conference Paper, 1964 Systems Science Conference, IEEE, Philadelphia. 2. Dennis G. Price, and Dennis E. Mulvihill,