The Impact of Decision Models on Federal Coal Leasing

A three-year case study was conducted of the effects of computer-based decision technology on policy formation, policy implementation, and routine operations in the Federal Coal Management Program. Several methodologies were used, including semistructured interviewing and content analysis. Midway through the interview schedule, program regulations were changed to reflect the different philosophies of the Carter and Reagan administrations, affording the observers an unusual opportunity to study the reactions of the organization to a de-emphasis on analyses and computer applications. Also noteworthy in the case was the emergence of a major public policy dispute which was closely associated with the coal leasing program’s changes in use of computer-based economic analysis. We found that computer models had significant but not dominant effects on the workplace environment of most persons working in the program. Nevertheless some applications of computer models had very high visibility and large impacts.