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-CHAPTER III TEXT PROCESSING
3.1 INTRODUCTION
Recent advances in electronics technology have made computer components much smaller and cheaper. This leads to the ability to install cheap
~
memory capability in a variety of devices, including office machines.
As organisations grow bigger, their volumes of work demand systems for the automation of the processing of words or textual data to maintain effective business communications. This automation is predominantly referred to as word processing.
This chapter will focus on procedure aspects, whilst systems used in carrying out these procedures and the behavioural implications will be dealt with in the next two chapters. Text processing will be analysed in detail, including those activities not supported electronically at this stage. The areas presently supported electronically will be emphasised and also form the basis for the next chapter on text
processing systems available. In Chapter IX the other manual activities will be included in a conceptual framework for total administrative support based on electronic information processing.
Section 3.2 will deal with the concept of text processing, scrutinising often used definitions to isolate the key factors as the basis for formulating a comprehensive definition. The approach will then be to indicate a number of related phases of text processing - each consisting of a number of sub-phases or activities.
Section 3.3 - 3.8 will each elaborate on one phase (with its sub-phases) of text processing. The phases to be covered will be: origination, production, reproduction, storage, retrieval and distribution. These phases will be schematically represented to further the understanding of the interrelated activities involved and also to facilitate the analysis of them. The analysis of the procedure aspects of text processing will reveal short-comings affecting costs and productivity, whilst
alternative procedures will be evaluated.
40 -3.2 THE CONCEPT
In this research "word processing" is c6nsidered to be an incomplete description of the activities involved and only part of a broader concept - that of text processing. It is necessary, however, to point out that often when the term "word processing" is used in the literature it in fact denotes a different meaning such as text processing or even electronic text processing. Definitions range from a narrow
description, limited to the typing process, to everything connected with words in the widest sense:
International Word Processing Association
"Word processing is the application of computer technology to th~
typing process." ( 1)
Life Office Management Association
"The automation of the typing function, re-use, and the correction and updating through the use of a storage medium."
Waterhouse
the retrieval of data for of previously prepared text
(2)
"Word processing is a system of processing communications using standardized procedures, modern equipment, and specialized employee responsibilities to produce quality communications at rapid speed
and low costs." (3)
McNamara
"Word processing is a method of producing written communication at top speed, with the greatest accuracy, the least effort, and the lowest possible cost through the combined use of proper procedures, automated business equipment and trained personnel." ( 4)
American National Standards Committee of Washington, D.C.
"Word processing is the transformation of ideas and information into a readable form of communication through the management of
procedures, equipment and personnel." (5)
•
41
-The majority of the above definitions do not specifically include the use of electronics technology, but scrutiny reveals that this is not excluded. Overseas the term "word processing" is often used to include.
traditional typing and associated functions, whilst the term in general is used in South Africa for automated typing systems.
If the given definitions are analysed, certain key factors can be isolated. They are:
conversion of thoughts into meaningful written communication;
information, procedures, equipment and personnel;
accuracy, speed and lower costs.
The last two definitions can be adapted and used to advantage as the basis for formulating a comprehensive definition of text processing.
The definition by the American Standards Committee of Washington, D.C.
refers to "••• the transformation of ideas ••• ". In text processing it is mostly word content (thoughts and known information) rather than ideas being converted into a readable form. From this follows that:
Text processing is the conversion of word content into a readabl~
form of communication with improved accuracy at increased speed and less cost through the combined use of proper procedures, automated business equipment and trained personnel.
In text processing the conversion of word content takes place through a number of connected phases, an analysis of which offers a clearer
understanding of the areas included in day to day business
communications. These phases may not all be involved at any given application of text processing nor in a particular sequence. In the earlier stages of development in equipment the interrelationship tends to be less, whilst recent developments tend to increase the
integration. An approach to break up text processing in these phase~ is seldom followed in the literature, although it seems a logical way to analyse the effect on administrative office management and to determine
those areas which need further attention. The six phases are:
origination: putting thoughts into text;
production: converting originated text into a·final form;
reproduction: duplicating produced text;
storage: retention of text for future reference;
retrieval: extraction of required text from storage;
distribution: making available where text is required.
Each of these phases may consist of a number of sub-phases (activities) which are primarily those areas associated with the traditional office problems outlined in Section 2.5 and for which solutions are offered in Chapter VI. These phases and sub-phases are schematically presented in Table 7 and then analysed in that sequence. Source material abounds on specific aspects of these sub-phases and shows little deviation.
For this reason specific references to the same information will not be made( 6 ).
TABLE 7
I
ITHE PHASES OF TEXT PROCESSING