A researcher looks at maintenance management in a 'systems' context.

Functions of management are analysed from a system's approach. The highway maintenance management program can be readily rationalized from a system's approach. The approach successfully used in maintenance management relies on structuring a management information system to provide historical data as an aid to management decision making. Because of inability to predict specific maintenance jobs reliably, the best maintenance management systems are based on inspection generating work identification. A typical organizational set-up is presented (administration, planning, and operations) that has been adopted by most alert management organizations. The use of systems analysis in maintenance management is described.