Identifying the Scarce Factors. We must focus on those particular variables that are going to affect system performance most strongly and critically. These are the scarce factors. For the Easter Holidays some parents buy a rabbit as a pet for their children. As the rabbit also can be helpful in keeping the lawn trimmed, a superabundance of grass can be reduced by rabbits.
Cautious parents acquire one rabbit, incautious parents sometimes acquire a pair.
Scarce Factors in the Information System Historically, information has been a scarce factor in the decision-making process. We have often had to make our decisions in the absence of knowledge about some of the most critical conditions that would subsequently determine outcomes. Information is precious. Information is not the Scarce Factor. What I mean is that we were provided with large quantities of information which we could sift and filter to find the relevant nuggets, but which we could surely not absorb in its totality.