Synopsis The long talked about growth of computers and the "information explosion" are today's relatives in our social and economic institutions. The purpose of this work is to provide fundamental knowledge to enable one to participate in the development and use of information systems in modern organizations. The variety of information requirements and the sophisticated ways in which these requirements are satisfied in modern organizations. This is not a book of rules or an easy do-it-yourself manual. The student in Computer science cannot be supplied with a set of rules to be invariably followed. What is offered is a set of principles, processes in which the principles can be applied, and an opportunity to begin developing skill and judgement in their application. In this sense both this book and internet access are in the best of the liberal arts tradition-a tradition which requires the disciplined exercise of judgement.