Page 13 - DLIS102_LIBRARY_AND_ITS_USERS

Library and its Users

Notes Self Assessment

Multiple Choice Questions:
4. Who said Aristotle was the first to have put together a collection of books and to have taught
the kings in Egypt how to arrange a library:
(a) Strabo (b) Demetrius
(c) Ashurbanipal (d) Sennacherib.
5. In Italy, the Vatican Library opened in the year:
(a) 1400s (b) 1600s
(c) 1700s (d) 1300s.

1.4 Needs of Information

‘In addition to the factors mentioned by March and Simon, there are two other considerable aspects,
stemming from environmental and organizational dynamics. Firstly, it is not possible to access, collect
and evaluate all environmental information being relevant for taking a certain decision at a reasonable
price, i.e., time and effort. In other words, following a national economic framework, the transaction
cost associated with the information process is too high. Secondly, established organizational rules
and procedures can prevent the taking of the most appropriate decision, i.e., that a sub-optimum
solution is chosen in accordance to organizational rank structure or institutional rules, guidelines
and procedures, an issue that also has been brought forward as a major critique against the principles
of bureaucratic organizations.
According to the Carnegie Mellon School and its followers, information management, i.e., the
organization’s ability to process information is at the core of organizational and managerial
competencies. Consequently, strategies for organization design must be aiming at improved
information processing capability. Jay Galbraith has identified five main organization design
strategies within two categories increased information processing capacity and reduced need for
information processing.
1. Reduction of information processing needs
(a) Environmental management
(b) Creation of slack resources
(c) Creation of self-contained tasks
2. Increasing the organizational information processing capacity
(a) Creation of lateral relations
(b) Vertical information systems

Environmental Management

Instead of adapting to changing environmental circumstances, the organization can seek to modify
its environment. Vertical and horizontal collaboration, i.e., co-operation or integration with other
organizations in the industry value system are typical means of reducing uncertainty. An example of
reducing uncertainty in relation to the prior or demanding stage of the industry system is the concept
of Supplier-Retailer collaboration or Efficient Customer Response.

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