This paper reports a pilot study designed to investigate media and source patterns for managerial information systems across three hierarchical levels of management. Our basic hypothesis is that media and source patterns will differ by management level. Eight executives in a large energy company were used to investigate the hypothesis: three senior executives, three middle-level executives, and two lower-level executives.
Much attention currently is being aimed at office automation. Proponents are recognizing its potential value to the manager as an information source, in addition to its initial focus on improved clerical operations. However, proponents are recommending office automation as an information system without citing any basis, theoretical or empirical, for their claims. The authors construct a theoretical framework that may be useful to the manager, or the system designer, in channeling office automation efforts in the right direction. The framework is based on Henry Mintzberg's concept of managerial roles, and is presented in the context of data gathered from five senior executives.