A distinction is made between cost‐effectiveness analysis and cost‐benefits analysis as applied to information systems; and the relationship between costs, performance, and benefits is discussed. Some factors influencing the cost‐effectiveness of retrieval and dissemination systems are identified. Various aspects of system operation that are susceptible to cost‐effectiveness analysis are discussed, including system coverage, indexing policies and procedures, system vocabulary, searching procedures, and mode of interaction between system and user. Possible tradeoffs between input and output costs, and the effects of these tradeoffs on cost‐effectiveness are presented.
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F. W. Lancaster (1971) studied this question.
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