Business firms rely more and more on formal planning procedures and for large firms efficient methods to manage a geographically and technologically diversified organization from a distance have become necessary tools. At the same time Governments, research institutions and other organizations collect an increasing volume of numerical information from companies to understand and to govern the increasingly complex system that makes up a national economy.
Our knowledge of the mechanics of the information flows and the decision systems of large business firms is very scant and our ability to assess the character and quality of the information we collect is quite hazardous. Dr. Gunnar Eliasson began this research project already before he took up his present position as the Chief Economist of the Federation of Swedish Industries and his project has been very useful for the research and forecasting activities of the economic anal y tic department of the Federation that he is heading. This study on remote guidance and control system in more than 60 U.S. and European firms is quite unique and we are very pleased to endorse its publication.
