Thomas Janovic: Thomas Janovic

Thomas Janovic

Info. Tech

Week 2 Task 4

9/18/11

Decision Support Systems

There are wide varieties of information systems (IS) available to many different businesses and users. Once systems such as TPSs and ERPs were created and devised to reduce costs and personnel, it gave way to a newly made system called DSS, or decision support systems, which integrated the two information systems and helped business professionals and managers become better decision makers. Many areas throughout all types of businesses were improved with this new system which include marketing, human resource management, and administration.

Managing or owning and operating a business can be difficult, therefore some businesses use highly advanced information systems, such as a DSSs to analyze and interpret data to make the most educated and responsible decisions possible. Decision support systems are vital to upper level management and are still being considered as a vital resource in the further development of information systems. “Decision Support Systems (DSS) are a specific class of computerized information system that supports business and organizational decision-making activities.”[1] DSSs were first realized in the early 1980s once computer experts discovered the decision-making properties information systems had to offer and soon implemented the first support systems that businesses could use for various purposes.

DSSs are used at different categories in the hierarchies of business infrastructures. According to Wikipedia.org, “DSSs serve the management, operations, and planning levels of an organization and help to make decisions, which may be rapidly changing and not easily specified in advance.”[2] Any certain type of DSS will include different model components such as a model base to support decisions, a large database of raw data and information, and a set of systems and procedures used to help the user interface with the DSS. Different sorts of databases on a given DSS will be managed by certain types of software, however, this may not be true for all decision suport systems.

DSSs may be used to gather information from all the company’s resources to decide whether it is feasible or not to embark on a new business venture. Resources from outside the firm may also be used in determining whether or not a business should expand or take on a new market. “The DSS will collect and analyze the data and then present it in a way that can be interpreted by humans.”[3] This type of IS can also be used to analyze certain data collections, compare and contrast sales figures for different times of the present and previous years, and construct forecasts for future sales trends. DSSs have been said to be so complex and advanced that they somewhat resemble the technology of artificial intelligence, or A.I. One’s efficiency as well as their decision making abilities will become enhanced when utilizing certain types of DSSs. Other beneficial applications of DSSs include improved control and problem solving within certain types of businesses, a “competitive advantage”[3] over competitors, and helps lessen the requirements or duties of management personnel.

Although information systems tend to be costly at times, they happen to perform some of the most important business functions such as helping a business gain an advantage over the competition, providing training for office personnel, and helping the business grow with new statistics and fresh interpretations of data and information. Everyone can benefit from decision support systems no matter what part of the country they are from or how large or small their business may be.

Works Cited