Development of the CHAIN classification scheme in the NIC system of the National Management Development Centre (OVK)

Abstract

CHAIN indexing technique le one of the methods employed in the ICL-NIC system. The management science classification scheme for the content analysis of books has been developed on the basis of this method within the OVK-NIC system, introduced by the National Management Development Centre (OVK) on January 1, 1970. In its introductory part, the study outlines the CHAIN technique, its characteristic features as it is used in the OVK-NIC system, and all aspects which have affected the development of this scheme. The classification scheme is based on terms (subject headings) and on their CHAIN combinations. It is a Hungarian language scheme, and covers management science and the related auxiliary and applied disciplines.

Relying on methods developed in the course of practical work, the study first summarizes the conditions necessary to the start of work, particularly important among them are the educational back-ground and professional experience of the librarian. Lists regularly updated by means of a computer are used as aids to classification. The author divides classification into three phases:
1. defining the subject matter of the document - a traditional operation of library processing;
2. rules for the order of combining subject headings formulated in accordance with the subjects of management science;
3. by mechanical arrangement, the computer puts out the CHAIN index. The latter process is explained by the author in detail.

Considering various types of classification schemes, the author ranks the CHAIN among the faceted classifications. To enable the CHAIN index to be utilized as a classification scheme, separate programs produce the scheme and the list of used terms on the basis of the CHAIN’s vocabulary. With this, the improvement and extension of the classification is going on in parallel with the processing by computer. The study shows the development of the CHAIN classification scheme of OVK-NIC as a process, surveying the means and results which may serve as a control of work. All this is carried out by the system's analytic sub-system composed of four programs and produced on the basis of ICL FIND programs.

Through several examples, the study illustrates the joint effort of man and machine and its effect on the result. In the course of evaluation, the relation of the system's operation to its external environment, as well as the degree of the subject field's exploration and the professional flexibility are taken for factors of effectiveness. On the basis of all this, the author tends to rank the CHAIN classification among the effective systems which – as shown by experience – has proven more feasible than UDC in the work of OVK.