Computer Generated Ability Complements as an Alternative to Continuous Hierarchy Positions: A Cybernetic Model of School Administration.

The design of an alternative administrative structure related to the cybernetic era and its organizational characteristics are discussed. In View of the role of electronic information systems today, it would be valuable to synthesize the six perspectives of administration--leader, manager, change agent, theorist, planner, and futurist--to provide a human organizational and administrative model appropriate to the age of information. A new form of administrative organization is also needed in large urban school systems. An image of incrementalism in history is presented; it remains to be seen whether the cybernetic era will prove to be something different from an increment. The crisis in educational administration is related to efforts by the administrative pyramid to maintain its form while attempting to adept to alternative components, but this cannot be done without dysfunction. The design proposed combines a form of the committee system with EDP. The complement abilities pattern (CAP) is one or more school administrator(s) designated by the computer information system as having those abilities, preferences, and characteristics required to solve a particular system problem. The CAP is formed on the basis of information provided concerning the characteristics of the problem in relation to its stored model of the school system and its stored information about each administrator. Parameters, descriptors, and certain information about the school system must be provided for CAP to design and analyze alternative solutions and programs. (KM)