THE EFFECTS OF MISUSED COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES ARE STAGGERING. IN EXTREME CASES, THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO BECOMES REALITY--INVENTORIES SKYROCKET, CUSTOMERS COMPLAIN OF POOR SERVICE, AND PROFITS ERODE. THE LONGER RANGE IMPLICATIONS ARE NO MORE APPEALING. POOR SERVICE AND HIGHER PRICES SIMPLY CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMPETITION. OVER-ENTHUSIASTIC USE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AS THE CURE-ALL FOR AMERICAN MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS COSTS BILLIONS EACH YEAR. AND THESE SAME MANUFACTURERS ARE SPENDING EVEN MORE MONEY TO CLEAN UP THE AFTER EFFECTS. THE COMPUTER MADE ME DO IT IS AN EXCUSE THAT COSTS TOO MUCH. IF AN AVERAGE COMPANY ALLOCATES MORE THAN TWO PERCENT OF ITS GROSS REVENUE FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS, MOST OF THAT REVENUE SHOULD PROBABLY BE PUT BACK ON THE BOTTOM LINE WHERE IT BELONGS. MOST U.S. MANUFACTURERS DO NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND THE HOWS AND WHYS OF COMPUTER-BASED SUPPORT SYSTEMS. RELYI