A must for every manager concerned with meeting the challenges of the 21st century. You'll see the differences between data and information in a new light, and understand precisely how misunderstanding those differences can affect the quality of your decision-making process. Starting with the structure of an organization, 'The Haystack Syndrome' ends with a detailed description of the logic that must underpin the information system for any organization to maximize effectiveness. Part One - Formalizing the Decision Process - Defining the goal, the measurements, and how to continuously improve the whole system - the Theory of Constraints; Part Two - The Architecture of an Information System - Dealing with information as it relates to the real world; quantifying Murphy, the time-buffer concept, directing process improvements, measuring local performance; Part Three - Scheduling - how to implement a real process of ongoing improvement requiring interplay between the system and the manager, resolving all conflicts, considering capacity and protection.