Flyod Kuehnis, managing partner of the San Jose, California, office of Peat, Marwick Mitchell, and

company, is one of the new breed of executive information users. He heads an office that uses a pilot
system designed to boost upper management’s productivity and to identify opportunities for office
automation throughout the oraganisation.

To expand its practice, Peat, Marwick must supply its managers with up-to-date information about its
customer base. Effective personal contacts are essential. When managers make new contact, they must
be able to understand what these people do and respond with the right information. For example, if one
manager wanted access to a venture capitalist who funds high-technology companies, it would be
useful to get contact information from all 140 people in the branch office.

To meet this need, the San Jose branch office developed a pilot system that functions as a “giant
Rolodex”. The system supplies on -line information about every professional contact made by anyone
within the Peat Marwick San Jose office. Officially called the Who and Referral System, the pilot is known
within Peat Marwick as the War machine.

The War machine maintains data on the type of contact (lunch, dinner, telephone call), the time and
date of the contact, the individuals involved from each firm, and the resulting referrals. The War
machine is updated every time aPeat, Marwick representative meets with someone from another
company, making the information available to anyone who uses the system. In effect, the War machine
serves as an automated “old boy” network.

The War machine runs on six personal computers linked via a Wangnet local area network(LAN). One of
the reasons Wang was selected for this application is that its software is menu driven. Peat, marwick’s
Staff at the manager and partner level is not heavily computer oriented. The Wang menus enable
managers to navigate easily through the system. Huehnis and a senior manager designed the War
machine screens themselves in a single evening.

The project was approved by the chairman of the board because it was considered a good test for the
entire organization. Eventually all 40 partners and managers in peat, marwick’s San jose office will be
hooked into the War machine network.

Case Study Questions :

1. Why is this system especially appropriate for managers?

2. What kinds of managerial activities and roles are supported by this system?
3. What kinds of managerial decisions could this information system support?
4. Why was the choice of microcomputer-based, LAN technology appropriate for the managers
using the War Machine? Could these functions be performed as well with a large, formal
mainframe information system?