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PSL/PSA is a computer-aided structured documentation and analysis technique that was developed for, and is being used for, analysis and documentation of requirements and preparation of functional specifications for information processing systems. The present status of requirements definition is outlined as the basis for describing the problem which PSL/PSA is intended to solve. The basic concepts of the Problem Statement Language are introduced and the content and use of a number of standard reports that can be produced by the Problem Statement Analyzer are briefly described. The experience to date indicates that computer-aided methods can be used to aid system development during the requirements definition stage and that the main factors holding back such use are not so much related to the particular characteristics and capabilities of PSL/PSA as they are to organizational considerations involved in any change in methodology and procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By invitation from the Editor of IIE Transactions, a research forum was established in 1987 to develop and prepare this article. The objective: to write on the directions, needs and challenges for research by the IE community in applying computer and information sciences. The motivation: realizing the major advancements in computer and information sciences in the recent decade and their significant impact on the IE profession, it is vital to examine how IE research activities can respond effectively to current and emerging needs. This article is viewed as a useful contribution to such an examination. Forum members were invited from academia, government and industry based on their experience in and commitment to research in this area. The forum was chaired by Shimon Y. Nof and the members are the co-authors of this article. Forum members communicated and deliberated throughout 1987 and met for a review and planning session during the IIE Conference in Washington, D.C. in May, 1987 (Forum, 1987). The following article summarizes the contributions and recommendations of the forum members, and was reviewed by four guest reviewers. The reviewers, invited by the Editor, have provided comments that have been incorporated into this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents views of the author on Robert Dorfman's article "Report of the Retiring President" published in the April 1966 Bulletin of "Management Science." The number of papers being submitted to "Management Science" is increasing and the Editors-in-Chief have more acceptable papers than they can publish within the constraints set by the total amount of money available. In the past year and for the foreseeable future, the amount of money available for publications is not sufficient to even cover the number of pages of "Management Science" currently projected, much less permit any expansion. The article also consists of several letters to the editor responding to articles published in previous issues, including "Role of the Subconscious in Executive Decision Making," in the June 1967 issue, and "Basic Concepts for a Theory of Organization," also appearing in the June 1967 issue.