In an environment in which programs are executed on a plurality of computers connected to a network, a program distribution managing system facilitates, when a reference relationship exists between programs on mutually different execution computers, management for distribution and deletion of applications. The system includes a distribution information supplier to supply information indicating a status of distribution of a program to be executed on either one of the computers, a reference information supplier to supply information concerning a type of the execution program as a reference destination of the program, and a reference destination managing section to acquire a location to which the execution program as a reference destination of the execution program is distributed according to information from the distribution information supplier and information from the reference information supplier.