Date: Thu, 18 Nov 93 16:06:09 EST Errors-To: Comp-privacy Error Handler From: Computer Privacy Digest Moderator To: Comp-privacy@PICA.ARMY.MIL Subject: Computer Privacy Digest V3#077 Computer Privacy Digest Thu, 18 Nov 93 Volume 3 : Issue: 077 Today's Topics: Moderator: Dennis G. Rears Re: Graduate Program on Social Dimensions of Cmputing The Computer Privacy Digest is a forum for discussion on the effect of technology on privacy. The digest is moderated and gatewayed into the USENET newsgroup comp.society.privacy (Moderated). Submissions should be sent to comp-privacy@pica.army.mil and administrative requests to comp-privacy-request@pica.army.mil. Back issues are available via anonymous ftp on ftp.pica.army.mil [129.139.160.133]. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Rob Kling Subject: Re: Graduate Program on Social Dimensions of Cmputing Date: 18 Nov 93 16:25:44 GMT Computing, Organizations, Policy, and Society CORPS Ph.D Studies in The Department of Information & Computer Science and The Graduate School of Management University of California, Irvine Irvine, California 92717 (Jan 1993) CORPS Computing, Organizations, Policy, and Society Our CORPS PhD concentration provides a fascinating opportunity to study a vital topic: the social aspects of computerization. We encourage reflective inquiry, lively discussions, and avoiding the hype that often surrounds new technologies. The computerization of society is taking place at dizzying speed. The computer industry and computer-using firms are producing a steady stream of new products and services that depend upon computers in some form. Decision-support systems, the myriad forms of office automation, electronic funds transfer systems, automated supermarket scanners, expert systems, instructional computing, automated command and control systems, and home computers all have significant social dimensions. We often hear predictions about the influence of new computer technologies on emerging social changes. But the real social choices and consequences of computerization aren't really well understood. Public, professional and even many scholarly discussions of alternative ways to computerize are often oversimplified. These are important issues and discussion is being advanced through high quality university-based research. We offer a PhD concentration in the Department of Information and Computer Science (ICS) and in the Graduate School of Management (GSM) for people who would like to do systematic research and/or teaching about the social aspects of computerization in their careers. CORPS faculty and students work together across departmental boundaries on specific research projects and seminars with faculty in other schools at UC-Irvine. The CORPS faculty has published many books and articles in this area since the early 1970s. The main thrust of the CORPS concentration is research and teaching about the social dimensions of computerization from a critical perspective. The topics include the social consequences of different forms of computerization, their social carrying costs, strategies for effectively managing them, and public policies which will foster the development of prosocial applications and arrangements. High quality examinations of the social dimensions of computing are difficult to find. These Ph.D. concentrations in CORPS at the University of California, Irvine provide an opportunity for scholars and students to investigate the social dimensions of computerization in a setting which supports reflective and sustained inquiry. Students undertake this concentration as a normal part of their graduate studies in the Department of Information and Computer Science or in the Graduate School of Management. CORPS at UC-Irvine is unique in the nation. There are some similar programs at a few other universities, but they are much less well developed at this time, especially in Information and Computer Science. Computerization is fundamentally a social phenomenon; it is not simply developing computer technologies and sending them ``into the market." Yet the common processes of computerization and the social choices possible are not well understood today. During the last decade, CORPS faculty and students have conducted several major studies and published some of the most important scholarly books and articles about computerization. The primary educational opportunities are the Ph.D. concentrations in the Department of Information and Computer Science (ICS) and the Graduate School of Management (GSM). Students in each concentration can specialize in studying the social dimensions of computing. Several students have already received graduate degrees from ICS and GSM for studying topics in the CORPS concentration. Most of our graduates go into faculty positions at other universities in Computer Science or Information Systems departments in schools of Management. The faculty at Irvine have been active in this area, with many interdisciplinary projects, since the early 1970's. The faculty and students in the CORPS concentration have approached them with methods drawn from the social sciences. The CORPS concentration at Irvine has a distinctive orientation -- 1. in focusing on both public and private sectors; 2. in examining computerization in public life as well as within organizations; 3. by examining advanced and common computer-based technologies ``in vivo" in ordinary settings; 4. by employing analytical methods drawn from the social sciences; and 5. by encouraging critical inquiry about the management and consequences of computerization while eschewing monolithic positions ``pro" or ``anti" computing. The CORPS concentration within ICS focuses upon five related areas of inquiry: 1. Examining the social consequences of different kinds of computerization on social life in organizations and in the larger society: - What are the consequences of computerization for the character of working life of workers and managers who use computer-based information systems routinely? - What kinds of choices do organizational participants have in shaping pro-social work arrangements? - To what extent does the use of automated information systems alter balances of power among groups in organizations? - How are automated information systems used by planners, top managers, and elected officials in formulating, developing, debating, and evaluating policies in public agencies? Under what conditions are these systems most useful and effective? - What kinds of social value conflicts are catalyzed by different kinds of electronic funds transfer (EFT) systems and ways of organizing access to them? - To what extent are EFT systems likely to alter social inequities between rich and poor, urban and rural groups, the physically handicapped and the physically healthy, those who are skilled in dealing with bureaucracies and those who are less so, etc.? - What is the character of computerized systems which have become institutionalized in organizations? - What are the repercussions of computer use at home for family life? 2. Examining the social dimensions of the work and organizational worlds in which computer technologies are developed, marketed, disseminated, deployed, and sustained: - differences between organizations that invest heavily in computer applications and those that do not - social organization of technology-push innovation in computing - differences between continual innovation rather than one-shot implementation - the nature of computer abuse in routine work practices 3. Evaluating the effectiveness of strategies for managing the deployment and use of computer-based technologies: - effectiveness of centralized vs. decentralized computing arrangements in organizations - the role of the carrying costs of computer technologies in organizations - the role of values of workers and clients in shaping computerization 4. Examining the economics and management of computing developments. - performance of information systems service providers - economic and managerial impacts of information systems - strategic implications of information technology for organizational welfare - impact of interorganizational systems and electronic markets on economic performance 5. Evaluating and proposing public policies which facilitate the development and use of computing in pro-social ways: - effectiveness of alternative national computer policies in promoting domestic production of hardware, software, and services - influence of government investment on private sector investment in computing - role of governmental and private sector institutions in societal investments in computing use These questions ask about significant aspects of computerization in private and public life. Our studies have been administered by the Public Policy Research Organization, an interdisciplinary research institute. CORPS faculty and graduate students have conducted studies during the last 20 years which shed light on these questions. These studies have been published in numerous books, articles and Ph.D. theses. Contact us for a publication list. CORPS Faculty Research Interests The primary faculty in the CORPS concentration hold appointments in the Department of Information and Computer Science and the Graduate School of Management. Additional faculty in the Department of History, the School of Social Sciences, and the Program on Social Ecology, have collaborated in research or have taught key courses for students in the CORPS concentration. The Public Policy Research Organization, an interdisciplinary research institute at UCI, administers the CORPS research projects. The CORPS faculty are recognized nationally and internationally for their scholarship about computerization in organizations and public life. The faculty have published numerous books and articles about these topics during the last 20 years. In addition, they regularly give talks at major conferences about the sociology and management of computing and also serve on the editorial boards of several major journals. Mark Ackerman (Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology) -- Assistant Professor of ICS. CSCW systems for information access; organizational memory systems; social worlds of software developers. J. Yannis Bakos (Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology) -- Assistant Professor of Management;Economic impacts of information technology; Strategic Information Systems; Corporate Information System Architectures James Danziger (Ph.D. Stanford University) -- Professor of Political Science; Politics of Computing; Computerization and Changes in Work; Computing in the Social Sciences Julian Feldman (Ph.D. Carnegie Institute of Technology) -- Professor Emeritus of Information and Computer Science; Management of Computing Resources Jonathan Grudin (PhD University of California, San Diego). -- Assistant Professor of Information and Computer Science; Computer Supported Cooperative Work; Social Strategies for System Development; Human-Computer Interaction Vijay Gurbaxani (Ph.D. University of Rochester) -- Associate Professor of Management; Economics of Information Systems Management; Information Systems Investment Strategies; Performance Measurement of Information System Organizations; Organizational Implications of Information Technology John King (Ph.D. University of California, Irvine) -- Professor of Information and Computer Science and Management; Management and Economics of Computing; Social and Organizational Impacts of Computing; National Policies about Computerization Rob Kling (Ph.D. Stanford University) -- Professor of Information and Computer Science and Management; Social and Organizational Impacts of Computing; Computing and Public Policy; Computerization and Social Theory; Computerization and Utopian Thought; Management of Information Systems and New Workplace Technologies Kenneth Kraemer (Ph.D. University of Southern California) -- Professor of Administration and Information and Computer Science; Director, Public Policy Research Organization; National Computer Policy; Investment and Procurement Policy; Management of Computing; Organizational Impacts of Computing; Use of Computers in Policy Making Mark Poster (Ph.D. New York University) -- Professor of History; Director - Critical Theory Institute; Postmodernism; Mode of Information; Poststructuralist European Intellectual Movements Alladi Venkatesh (Ph.D. Syracuse University) -- Associate Professor of Administration; Information Technology and the Consumer; Philosophy of Science Perspectives; Sociology of Consumption Programs of Study for CORPS Students CORPS students are regular Ph.D. students in the Ph.D. programs of ICS or GSM. You satisfy the normal degree requirements of the program you have chosen. The CORPS name is unique to UC-Irvine, although many aspects of the concentration are related to scholarship and study in the fields of information systems, science-technology-and-society, computer supported cooperative work, and social impacts of computing. The CORPS concentration is also called CORPS within ICS. However it is called Management Information Systems (MIS) within GSM since that is a recognized specialty within schools of management, and consequently makes CORPS more readily intelligible to students and faculty outside of CORPS in GSM. ICS' Ph.D. program is divided into three phases. In the first phase, students take courses in a variety of areas within ICS and specialty courses outside the department. These include artificial intelligence, algorithms, computer architecture, and social analysis of computing. Some students start developing their research interests in this first phase while others wait until their coursework is completed. The first phase of the Ph.D. program differs from an undergraduate or masters program in that students are introduced to the research aspects of different topics. All Ph.D. students are routinely invited to research seminars hosted in the department. There is a series of seminars of special interest to CORPS faculty and students. All ICS Ph.D. students also receive computer accounts on one of the department's computers which are connected via an ethernet and connected to international computer networks. In the second phase, students emphasize directed research and work closely with one or two faculty. This is a particularly good time to take courses in social analysis and research methods in other departments on the campus. Since student interests vary, you create a program of research and study which best meets your interests. You also write some research papers in close collaboration with faculty. The second phase of the Ph.D. program naturally leads into the third phase in which you complete a substantial study as a Ph.D. dissertation. The Department of Information and Computer Science (ICS) and the Graduate School of Management (GSM) offer about 15 courses which are central to studies in the CORPS concentration. These include studies of organization theory, research methods, information systems, the social analysis of computing, the management of computing resources, database technologies, and policy analysis. Most students in CORPS select courses in other programs at UCI to round out their education. The following courses which are offered by the Department of Information and Computer Science (ICS) and the Graduate School of Management (GSM) are central to studies in the CORPS concentration. Other courses in ICS and GSM and in other programs at UCI, such as the Department of History and the Schools of Social Sciences, will be helpful in rounding out a student's program. The CORPS concentration is growing, and we expect the number and variety of courses to increase. ICS/GSM CORPS Courses ICS131 - Computerization in Society ICS132 - Information Systems in Organizations ICS135 - Projects in the Social and Managerial Analysis of Computing ICS184 - Database Management Systems ICS205 - Human-Computer Interaction ICS245 - Introduction to Software Engineering ICS230 - Research Seminar on Computerization in Society ICS233 - Computer Supported Cooperative Work ICS234A - Computerization, Work, and Organizations. ICS234B - Theories of Computerization and Information Systems ICS235A - Qualitative Research Methods in Information Systems ICS235B - Quantitative Research Methods in Information Systems ICS237A - Computing and Information Resource Management ICS239 - Research Workshop on the Social Dimensions of Computing MGMT202 - Organizational Analysis MGMT207 - Information Systems for Management MGMT211 - Public Policy Making MGMT212 - Public Policy Implementation/Evaluation MGMT252 - Information Systems in Government MGMT271 - Systems Analysis and Design MGMT272 - Decision Support Systems MGMT290* - Advanced Systems Analysis and Design MGMT290* - Management of End User Computing MGMT290* - Database Management Systems MGMT290* - Economics of Computing MGMT290* - Strategic Information Systems MGMT290F - Business Telecommunication MGMT290E - Data Communications MGMT 290* - Ph.D. Seminar in Management Information Systems Social Ecology 201 - Research Methods *MGMT290 - These courses do not currently have specific numbers because they are part of the special topic series. Organizational Arrangements and Admissions for CORPS Your choice of whether to enter ICS or GSM should be based upon whether you would like: 1. to learn more about Computer Science or Management in the courses you take during the first year or two; or 2. to earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science or in Management. These lead to somewhat different career opportunities. Students matriculate for standard PhD degrees in ICS and GSM and meet the normal degree requirements of the degree program they select. Students who wish a Ph.D. in CORPS should apply to the regular graduate programs at UCI in ICS or GSM. Each of these programs has special tracks which allow students to specialize in this area while meeting other requirements of the disciplines of Computer Science or Management. Ph.D. students in CORPS must meet the other degree requirements of ICS and GSM, which include other courses in their respective disciplines. ICS and GSM admit students to their Ph.D. programs based on their promise as researchers. Since most applicants have not conducted research, surrogates such as grades, Graduate Record Examination scores, work experience, and letters of recommendation play a strong role in evaluations. In ICS, the CORPS concentration is a special track within the PhD program. The ICS faculty evaluates CORPS applicants with the same criteria that they use for their other PhD students. CORPS students need strong quantitative and verbal skills. (One's prior preparation should include a bachelor's degree from a recognized college or university, at least two years of college mathematics, and at least one year of undergraduate courses in computer science or a closely related field). Since CORPS studies apply social science theories and research methods to studies of computerization, some prior exposure to the social sciences (or history) will be specially helpful. The CORPS concentration in ICS is particularly appropriate for students with strong scientific or technical backgrounds who wish to expand their horizons and skills by studying issues of computerization from a social scientific perspective. CORPS provides a superb opportunity for students with scientific or technical backgrounds to leverage their educations into a new and vital areas. Students more interested in management should consider the Graduate School of Management. Students who wish additional information about the CORPS concentration should write to: Professor Rob Kling (Kling@UCI) Department of Information and Computer Science University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92717 or to: Professor Kenneth Kraemer (Kraemer@UCI) Graduate School of Management University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92717 For further information about graduate study at UCI (including general degree requirements, housing), contact: Graduate Admissions Department of Information and Computer Science University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92717 or Graduate Admissions Graduate School of Management University of California, Irvine Irvine, CA 92717 University of California, Irvine The Irvine campus is one of nine campuses of the University of California. It first opened its doors for students in 1965. The campus enrolls approximately 16,000 students and has about 750 faculty. In addition to a strong concentration in CORPS, UCI has particularly strong programs in Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Cognitive Sciences, Social History, and Critical Theory. The campus has supported interdisciplinary research and instruction from its inception. The Irvine campus has also had a long standing involvement with computer-assisted instruction. The Department of Information and Computer Science (ICS) primarily offers B.S. and Ph.D. degrees. ICS has approximately 700 undergraduate majors and 110 Ph.D. students. Currently, there are about 29 faculty, and several affiliated lecturers. One faculty member holds a joint appointment in both GSM and ICS, three GSM faculty hold courtesy appointments in ICS, and two ICS faculty hold courtesy appointments in GSM. Further, one professor of history holds a courtesy appointment in ICS. ICS is well supported by the campus and has open faculty positions to support growth in the next few years. In addition to research in CORPS topics, ICS faculty conduct research in network protocols, dataflow database designs, software engineering methods, programming environments, parallel algorithms, software safety, natural language processing, and machine learning. The ICS faculty is an energetic group with good interactions between themselves and with the graduate students. These interactions are enhanced by the favorable ratio of Ph.D. students to faculty. A great deal of attention is placed on teaching at the graduate level. Class sizes for lectures range between five and twenty-five in graduate courses. Besides breadth courses, there are small research seminars in each area. In the CORPS concentration there is an ongoing research seminar in which faculty and students discuss their current research and in which outside visitors from other universities explain their recent studies. There is an attempt to integrate students into research relatively early in their graduate program. The ICS Department's computing hardware includes Sun and Integrated Solutions workstations, Xerox and Symbolics Lisp machines, two Sequent Balance 21000's, two HP 9000 minicomputers, numerous micro-computers, and several laser printers. Most of these machines are tied together by internal computer networks, and the department maintains access to Internet and Usenet. In addition, the department has a variety of instructional computers as well as access to the large computer systems run by the campus computing facility. Access to regional super-computer capability is also available. ICS is a relatively collegial environment for graduate students and faculty. Recent ICS PhD graduates have found faculty positions at schools such as UC-Berkeley, UC-Davis, the University of Southern California, the University of Texas, Georgia Tech, the University of Houston, and the University of Oregon. Graduates from the CORPS concentration are among those who have found good university positions. The Graduate School of Management (GSM) offers the MBA, MPA, MBPA (Masters in Business and Public Administration), and Ph.D. degrees. It is a ``generic" management school by design - its programs span management in the public and private sectors. The school currently has approximately 300 students in its Masters degrees programs, and about 20 Ph.D. students. The school currently has over 30 faculty positions and a large number of part time lecturers. As noted above, there are six joint faculty appointments between GSM and ICS. In addition to the CORPS concentration, GSM has strong research and instructional programs in organizational behavior, public policy and public management. GSM utilizes UCI's campus-wide computing facility for its computing support and also has acquired a number of microcomputers for instruction. Location Irvine is located in Orange County in Southern California. It is approximately 35 miles Southeast of Los Angeles, adjacent to Newport Beach on the Pacific Ocean. The Orange County area is a rapidly growing, economically strong urban region. Thirty years ago, Orange County was primarily rural and somewhat conservative. Today, the county has grown to a population of over 2 million people, and is very cosmopolitan. Irvine has an active industrial park and there is a strong industrial base in the surrounding communities. Many organizations are high-technology firms that develop or make use of advanced computer technologies. There is an internationally visible arts community in the Los Angeles/Orange County region, and good performing arts theaters on and near UCI. In addition to a regular film series on campus, there are three theaters nearby that regularly show foreign films. The multi-million dollar Orange County Performing Arts, South Coast Repertory Theater, The Bren Sports Center, The Western Regional Offices of the National Academies of Sciences and Engineering are major cultural and scientific facilities on or near campus. There are many recreational opportunities in the immediate area, including ocean and bay sailing, swimming from wide beaches, and hiking in the Santa Ana Mountains. The City of Irvine has extensive bicycle paths and the beach areas are an easy cycling ride. There are good areas for jogging on the campus and throughout Southern California. Several major mountain ranges within reasonable driving distance offer hiking, camping, skiing and snow sports. There are a variety of landscapes including 11,000 foot alpine peaks, dense forests, vast desert expanses, valleys, canyons, lakes, and reservoirs. Sports equipment can be rented from the UCI Associated Students' cooperative outdoor program. UCI's sailing club offers membership and boat use to all members of the UCI community. Most of these activities are available throughout the year since the climate is moderate year round. ------------------------------ End of Computer Privacy Digest V3 #077 ******************************