Microcomputers In Public Policy by Stephen R. Ruth

Author:Stephen R. Ruth [Ruth, Stephen R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780367008673
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2019-06-07T00:00:00+00:00

Institutionalization Issues

This project has been successful at beginning to institutionalize the use of microcomputers for financial management. Institutionalization will be complete when all of the following have taken place: (1) Kenyans themselves demand the output from the machines; (2) all operations are done by Kenyans; (3) all programming is done by Kenyans, possibly by local consultants; (4) good microcomputer operators are retained by the civil service; and (5) maintenance and supplies are provided for in the budget.

Demand comes primarily from Kenyan officers at present and has continued despite the transfer of several finance officers. It would be difficult, albeit possible, for a new senior finance officer to disregard the computerized expenditure monitoring system and budgetary system, and revert to the old way of doing things. First, the unit which previously compiled the expenditure reports no longer exists. Secondly, and more importantly, the old system could not possibly handle the new one's responsibility for allocating funds. Thus, the technology has been embedded in the system, and any officer transferred into the Ministry will have to use it at least for allocation of funds, regardless of his personal views on computerization.

Transferring operations to local personnel has also been successful. The difficulty of making this transfer depends on the software used. All of the applications described in this chapter have involved the VisiCalc or dBase II package programs. Other programs used by this project, primarily in the Planning Division, include ones for graphing (VisiPlot), statistical analysis (MicroStat and MicroTSP), and linear programming (Optimizer). One of the most important advantages of microcomputers is the availability of such mass-marketed, “user-friendly” programs at moderate prices, thus escaping the need for accomplished professional programmers or extensive staff training. When using this type of software, secondary school graduates can be trained to operate microcomputers. The qualifications of the graduate and the amount of training required will depend primarily on whether or not local personnel will need to understand programming in dBase.

Carl H. Gotsch has sharpened thinking on training issues by identifying three skill levels.29 The first level is for clerks who enter data into the system. Compared to VisiCalc, dBase II actually lowers the training needs for this level, with clerks being trained in thirty minutes. Level two personnel are able to manipulate VisiCalc and dBase II interactively. General secondary-level education and above-average mathematics skills seem to be adequate qualifications for training at this level. These skills can be acquired by tutorials, supplemented by personal instruction or a custom-written manual on the types of requests normally made on the system. Numerous books, diskettes, and video cassettes are available for help in teaching VisiCalc and interactive dBase. It is important to note, however, that these aids must be in addition to, and not a substitute for, hands-on experience. Any project which intends to teach local staff must provide plenty of computer time for learning.

Level three personnel understand dBase II programming and can modify existing dBase systems. Training at this level is much more difficult. The transition from using dBase interactively to using it as a programming language is the major hurdle.

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