Overview
Geographical Information System, or GIS is the trend of the 21th century for connecting people to information. GIS is an exciting component of the "Information Superhighway." Government and private industries face many challenges today. One of these challenges is to use an ever increasing amount of information to deal with various business applications. Market potential for GIS applications is enormous in every country, especially in North America and Asia.
Management Information System
GIS definitely has the potential to become the Management Information System of choice for the 21th century . While GIS is not a new technology it is more commonly viewed as an emerging technology. With the acceptance of PC computers with enhanced graphic capabilities firms are moving away from the traditional methods of representing data.
A new dimension is being added to the Word Processor (text) of the 70's and Spreadsheets of the 80's. 'GIS of the 90's' provides a visual and graphical representation which complements both text and spreadsheets in an attractive and cost efficient manner. GIS links data such as databases, spreadsheets, reports, and maps, and presents them in an intelligible way so that we can easily visualize, analyze, and understand the data.
Graphic and Non-Graphic Information
There are two basic types of data in GIS: graphic and non-graphic information. Graphic data are computer graphic representations of map features such as buildings, road, terrain, etc. Non-graphic data are textual representations of the characteristics and relationships of economic factors, natural resources, and social factors, related to geographical locations and map features.
GIS is for Everyone
GIS is a multi-billion-dollar industry in United States. While most mainstream GIS companies are located in United States, it is still not fully developed and has not been well introduced for commercial, government and consumer use.
A common misconception about GIS is that it is not designed for everyone. As a matter of fact, many private and public sectors, as well as ordinary consumers, are benefiting from this powerful and versatile tool. The use of GIS is no longer restricted to large corporations and government sectors. Writing in AutoCAD World, Micheal W. Michelsen Jr. said,
"Today, businesses from a wide variety of industries are using GIS technology to study their markets and monitor marketing activities. Successful retailers such as TGI Fridays's use GIS to select the best sites for their new locations. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife) uses GIS to maintain their health care provider network, and Levi Strauss & Co. uses GIS to facilitate competitive analysis. Many other companies are finding that an investment in GIS technology can do the number crunching and tedious plotting work that once kept large teams of researchers busy for months in only a few hours -- and with far more accurate results."(Michealson, pg 30)
With the help of a simple GIS system, a tourist may easily locate his or her point of interest, such as local restaurant, shopping center, or other attraction, along with detailed descriptions. For a human resource department of a company, GIS may be used to manage and maintain employee records and information.
A department manager can use GIS to easily locate an employee record by the employee's physical location on the floor plan, or search for all employees who are due for a performance review. In a more advanced GIS system, engineers can perform more complex analyses, such as flood analysis on low land areas in reference to annual average rainfall reports to determine if any protective constructions are needed. Using GIS as a modeling tool, Weyerhauser Co. crafted a timber harvest plan which was adopted by the U.S. Government. The plan, using GIS, demonstrated how the company could "enhance the dispersal habitat of the northern spotted owl over the next 50 years while continuing to harvest forest products and save over 300 timber related jobs."(Specht pg 36)
Technological advancement in the world, GIS is becoming more readily available and affordable for everyone. Experts tell us that employees of the future will have to possess more computer and technical skills than ever before. To meet this challenge GIS is moving into the class rooms.
"Researchers at RAND Corp., Santa Monica, California anticipate this trend and develop methods to promote critical thinking skills in school age children through exploration based learning. For the last eight years, a team of researchers have been creating computer software for educational purposes. They began with artificial intelligence to teach students how to become problem solvers and explorers. The company is now combining GIS technology and software to give students a sophisticated yet easy-to-use, tool for learning how socio-economic data can be manipulated, displayed and understood using maps."(Lang pg 64)
While the public sector still accounts for nearly 60 percent of the GIS market, private enterprise is now experiencing explosive growth. "According to industry analysts, the business segment of the GIS industry is growing at a rate of about 60 percent per year. As cheaper, more powerful systems appear, sales of GIS hardware, software and services may exceed $5.5 billion worldwide by 1995, nearly double the 1992 sales figures".(Michealson pg 30)
As both public and private sector organizations acknowledge the need for geoprocessing to be integrated in the mainstream of information technology, GIS will continue to evolve so as to make this information technology tool become even more user friendly. The automated desktop will include globally distributed client server systems with extensive use of portable devices, cellular communications, video and transparent access to remote databases.
'Growth is a certainty' as predicted in a recent article in GIS World. To quote Laura Lang, a noted freelancer specializing in GIS issues:
"With the convergence of more powerful software, low priced commercial data, powerful and low cost hardware platforms and attention from the largest office automation players in the world have created a new business geographics. And the market is forecasted to expand from desktop mapping's currently estimated 150,000 to 200,000 users to millions of users by the end of 1997. (Lang pg 62)
GIS is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the United States, and most mainstream GIS companies are located in the United States. These companies also represent the major GIS suppliers worldwide, including suppliers in Asian countries. Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong are a few of the countries to embrace the United States' GIS technology to further their economic growth. The GIS industry is positioned well for rapid growth and increased revenues. GIS World, a noted trade journal, in an article entitled " GIS software Revenue Expected to Rise" reported:
Daratech Inc., Cambridge Mass., a market research and technology assessment firm, predicts that GIS revenues will top $563 million in 1995, a 13.7 percent increase compared to 1994. Fueling this growth will be the increasing adoption of GIS software by organizations in public, regulated and private markets as a core component of their information technology environments, the company predicts. New product and technology developments also are bringing a greater awareness of GIS to particular markets, according to Daratech.(pg 22)
Time is of Essence
The advances in GIS Technology will enable it become a "commonly used" management information tool. This market segment is poised for an explosive expansion, however, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.
AMSA with a proven cutting edge
technology is set to take full advantage of the emerging GIS / GPS markets.
Versatility, speed, power and user friendliness are key attributes of the
company's various proprietary products. With a properly funded marketing
program, AMSA can become a key player in this market.