Geographical information systems: A tool for business and industry?

摘要

This article reviews the current research in the area of geographical information systems (GIS) and asks how this work can be relevant to those working in business and industry. There is no doubt, following the Chorley Committee Report of 1987 and the government's response in 1988, that there is a commitment at the national level to developing applications of GIS. A number of application areas in the private sector are identified and a framework for considering applications of GIS as part of a manager's information system is put forward. It is likely that uses of GIS in the private sector will fall mainly within the category of decision support system, in contrast to uses in the public sector which are typically based on needs for operational information. This being so, leads to the conclusion that the private sector will require access to geographically referenced data held by a number of public bodies.