Development of information work in the Information Centre for Building (ÉTK)
Abstract
After World War II, building industry did not exist in Hungary in any organized form, either in its former capitalist-type organization or in a form prepared for carrying out great tasks emerging in later years, thus there was no substantial need for technical information.
It was not until the fifties that a new socialist building industry started to take shape. At the same time certain problems arose in connection with the elimination of obsolate technologies, with the start of massive housing programs, and also with the introduction of a new technology. The rise of information needs, which suddenly appeared at that time, even aggrayated the situation, and the rather neglected state of this industrial sector and the shortcomings of the training of manpower were all factors making the start of regular and high quality information work difficult.
It was under such circumstances that the first technical information agency, the legal predecessor of present day ÉTK, was set up, its first function consisted in multiplying and distributing documents - thus performing an indirect information task - and in supplying the nationalized building companies with documents concerning organizatlon, management and technology.
In pace with the increase in information needs and with the organization of Hungarian building industry transformed, the organization and scope of ÉTK have changed accordingly. Started in 1968, the new system of economic management was a turning-point in the system of technical information in the building industry involving the extension of the scope of work and of international relations. ÉTK is now engaged in editing an increasing number of publications and of periodicals, both regular and irregular, in conducting investigations in the international state and level of the building industries, in market research and also in wide-ranging technical information work within this industrial sector. The interaction of the growing number of tasks, the extension of the scope of work, along with the more and more rapid rate of technologial development are all conspicuous features in the development program of ÉTK.
It was not until the fifties that a new socialist building industry started to take shape. At the same time certain problems arose in connection with the elimination of obsolate technologies, with the start of massive housing programs, and also with the introduction of a new technology. The rise of information needs, which suddenly appeared at that time, even aggrayated the situation, and the rather neglected state of this industrial sector and the shortcomings of the training of manpower were all factors making the start of regular and high quality information work difficult.
It was under such circumstances that the first technical information agency, the legal predecessor of present day ÉTK, was set up, its first function consisted in multiplying and distributing documents - thus performing an indirect information task - and in supplying the nationalized building companies with documents concerning organizatlon, management and technology.
In pace with the increase in information needs and with the organization of Hungarian building industry transformed, the organization and scope of ÉTK have changed accordingly. Started in 1968, the new system of economic management was a turning-point in the system of technical information in the building industry involving the extension of the scope of work and of international relations. ÉTK is now engaged in editing an increasing number of publications and of periodicals, both regular and irregular, in conducting investigations in the international state and level of the building industries, in market research and also in wide-ranging technical information work within this industrial sector. The interaction of the growing number of tasks, the extension of the scope of work, along with the more and more rapid rate of technologial development are all conspicuous features in the development program of ÉTK.
Downloads
Published
2019-05-08
How to Cite
Kováts, T. Development of information work in the Information Centre for Building (ÉTK), Scientific and Technical Information, 17(8-9), p. 661–674, 2019.
Issue
Section
Articles
