This state-of-the-art book aims to address problems and solutions in implementing complex and high quality systems past the year 2000. In particular, it focuses on the development of languages, methods and tools and their further evaluation. Among the issues discussed are the following: evolution of software systems; specific application domains; supporting portability and reusability of software components; the development of networking software; and software architectures for various application domains. This book comprises the proceedings of the International Conference on Systems Implementation 2000: Languages, Methods and Tools, sponsored by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) and was held in Germany, in February 1998. It will be particularly relevant to researchers in the field of software engineering and to software developers working in larger companies.

This book provides a practical guide to the design and implementation of health information systems in developing countries. Noting that most existing systems fail to deliver timely, reliable, and relevant information, the book responds to the urgent need to restructure systems and make them work as both a resource for routine decisions and a powerful tool for improving health services. With this need in mind, the authors draw on their extensive personal experiences to map out strategies, pinpoint common pitfalls, and guide readers through a host of conceptual and technical options. Information needs at all levels - from patient care to management of the national health system - are considered in this comprehensive guide. Recommended lines of action are specific to conditions seen in government-managed health systems in the developing world. In view of common constraints on time and resources, the book concentrates on strategies that do not require large resources, highly trained staff, or complex equipment. Throughout the book, case studies and numerous practical examples are used to explore problems and illustrate solutions. Details range from a list of weaknesses that plague most existing systems, through advice on when to introduce computers and how to choose appropriate software and hardware, to the hotly debated question of whether patient records should be kept by the patient or filed at the health unit. The book has fourteen chapters presented in four parts. Chapters in the first part, on information for decision-making, explain the potential role of health information as a managerial tool, consider the reasons why this potential is rarely realized, and propose general approaches for reform which have proved successful in several developing countries. Presentation of a six-step procedure for restructuring information systems, closely linked to an organizational model of health services, is followed by a practical discussion of the decision-making process. Reasons for the failure of most health information to influence decisions are also critically assessed. Against this background, the second and most extensive part provides a step-by-step guide to the restructuring of information systems aimed at improving the quality and relevance of data and ensuring their better use in planning and management. Steps covered include the identification of information needs and indicators, assessment of the existing system, and the collection of both routine and non-routine data using recommended procedures and instruments. Chapters also offer advice on procedures for data transmission and processing, and discuss the requirements of systems designed to collect population-based community information. Resource needs and technical tools are addressed in part three. A comprehensive overview of the resource base - from staff and training to the purchase and maintenance of equipment - is followed by chapters offering advice on the introduction of computerized systems in developing countries, and explaining the many applications of geographic information systems. Practical advice on how to restructure a health information system is provided in the final part, which considers how different interest groups can influence the design and implementation of a new system, and proposes various design options for overcoming specific problems. Experiences from several developing countries are used to illustrate strategies and designs in terms of those almost certain to fail and those that have the greatest chances of success

How to get the most out of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.

As information resource management becomes increasingly dependent on emerging technologies to combat its challenges and decipher its effective strategies, the demand builds for a critical mass of research in this area. Innovative Technologies for Information Resource Management brings together compelling content related to the continually emerging technologies in areas of information systems such as Web services, electronic commerce, distance learning, healthcare, business process management, and software development. Focusing on the implications innovative technologies have on the managerial and organizational aspects of information resource management, this book provides academcians and practitioners with a requisite and enlightening reference source.