Data pattern processing centers around using the computer to discover large, relevant patterns. The authors consider it to be the third wave of computer usage for competitiveness in business. This textbook with examples is interesting for the businessperson who needs to know the potential of using information systems for competitive advantage. Managers of information systems, business students, and others will find this material useful.

In 11 chapters, the authors present this subject well. They discuss pattern processing and its place in the context of operational and decision support processing in the first chapter. The second chapter describes the characteristics of pattern processing data. Chapter 3 is for the business executive who must at least know about the data models, how long it takes to build a data warehouse, what it costs, and what data models are used for. The fourth chapter deals with some important forms that pattern processing takes--establishing a statistical profile, identifying trends over time, doing norm or deviation processing, and correlative analysis over  multiple  variables. The next two chapters present a case study and changes in an organization’s structure caused by patterning information. Section 7 is about decision support systems (DSS). Some DSS software, including Market Pulse, Commander, and Teredata, is presented in chapter 8. Steps in building effective pattern processing environments are presented in chapter 9. The last two chapters deal with the impact of this kind of processing on the organization’s structure and justify the cost of the data warehouse.

This book has an adequate index and good references. A writing mistake appears on the 27th line of page132.