Handout 11 - Group Decision Support Systems and Executive Support Systems

Group Decision Support System (GDSS)

In the late 1980’s, an additional tool known as a __________ was defined.

Group Decision Support System (GDSS)

It is a type of decision support system that helps organization managers and executives reach a consensus during events that require their collective opinions and proposals. Through its tools, communication, collaboration, and decision-making involving large numbers of managers and/or executives become efficient and cost-effective.

• Group Problem Mitigation

o Reduces pressures of conformity that may result in “groupthink” (consensus due to peer/group/member pressure).

o Streamlines coordination, representation and planning of collaboration meetings.

o Optimizes group dynamics by allotting appropriate responsibilities to each collaborator.

o Reduces the probability of the group making decisions of poor quality or high risk.

• Maximization of Group Effectiveness and Efficiency

o Allows group to better understand problems and eliminate errors.

o Allows members to utilize information and/or knowledge based on their areas of expertise.

o Streamlines group work, which in turn eliminates resistance and allows better decision consensus.

o Collaborators have accountability for decisions, which in turn instills responsibility in their vote.

• Support of Multiple Collaboration Processes

o Provides access to rules that will aid in arriving to decisions.

o Utilizes tools and subsystems to generate useful ideas and alternatives.

o Reduces costs for decision-making collaborations for groups.

A GDSS accomplishes a number of goals, which in turn allow the system to aid a group of decision-makers to make effective and efficient decisions:

Group Problem Mitigation

o Reduces pressures of conformity that may result in “groupthink” (consensus due to peer/group/member pressure).

o Streamlines coordination, representation and planning of collaboration meetings.

o Optimizes group dynamics by allotting appropriate responsibilities to each collaborator.

o Reduces the probability of the group making decisions of poor quality or high risk.

Maximization of Group Effectiveness and Efficiency

o Allows group to better understand problems and eliminate errors.

o Allows members to utilize information and/or knowledge based on their areas of expertise.

o Streamlines group work, which in turn eliminates resistance and allows better decision consensus.

o Collaborators have accountability for decisions, which in turn instills responsibility in their vote.

Support of Multiple Collaboration Processes

o Provides access to rules that will aid in arriving to decisions.

o Utilizes tools and subsystems to generate useful ideas and alternatives.

o Reduces costs for decision-making collaborations for groups.

• Pre-Planning

• Collaboration Facilitation

• Evaluation Objectivity

• Documentation

A GDSS can utilize a number of elements for its subsystems and tools to aid decision-making groups in their tasks:

Pre-Planning

This element addresses the agendas of a decision-making meeting. This element handles the topics of the agenda, the end goal of collaboration (whether it is a decision, or further plans of collaboration if consensus has not been reached), and possible future agendas.

Collaboration Facilitation

This element ensures that ideas and communications are free-flowing, without interruptions or hindrances.

Evaluation Objectivity

This element provides equal opportunity for collaborators by eliminating “office politics”: the practice of dismissing ideas based on the person who presented them.

Documentation

This element takes care of logging information from the collaboration, such as meeting minutes and resulting decisions made by the group. This in turn allows geographically challenged members to know what took place.

• Digitized Input is Required

• Moderation is Limited

• Maintenance Costs may be High

• The GDSS may Require a Facilitator

As with most systems, a GDSS also has its own share of limitations:

Digitized Input is Required

Unlike traditional meetings, where ideas, comments and criticisms can be conveyed by oral discussion, a GDSS may require different types of digitized input, such as typed input, graphic presentations, or digital spreadsheets. This may inhibit some managers who prefer more traditional methods of collaboration.

Moderation is Limited

A GDSS’s capabilities become liabilities when multiple discussions about a decision take place. Since the system requires digitized input, people capable of using the GDSS effectively may have the upper hand in any collaboration or discussion.

Maintenance Costs may be High

Despite the system reducing costs, the cost of maintaining a high-end facility that can utilize the GDSS for group collaboration may erase such benefits. Implementations may have to be justified by having the facility and the system be regularly used, though an option of leasing such a facility to academic institutions and other companies may also generate minor revenue in this regard.

The GDSS may Require a Facilitator

Some GDSS may be complicated, which means a facilitator who can lead collaborations, help users and control the system within the network may be needed. This opens up a few complications, such as whether to train such a person from the existing employee pool, or hire someone on a project- based basis, which may not be favorable.

• Hardware

• Software

• Persware

Any computer system can be classified as having three (3) primary characteristics:

• Hardware

• Persware/Peopleware

• Software

A GDSS redefines the trifecta of information systems by changing some aspect of each characteristic:

Hardware

The hardware characteristic handles broader technologies now: it includes not just computers and other equipment, but also the conference facilities, audiovisual equipment, and networking equipment that will connect each collaborator to the group.

Persware/Peopleware

This characteristic now involves not just the actual collaborators, but also the facilitators of the group collaboration, such as meeting planners and hardware operator staff.

Software

This characteristic, in turn, not just involves the use of specialized tools and traditional programs, such as operating systems; it now involves reworked tools that have additional capabilities and network connectivity that allow more people to be involved in decision-making collaborations.

• Questionnaire Tools

• Electronic Brainstorming

• Stakeholder Identification

• Group Dictionaries

Many of the previously discussed and mentioned software tools can be used as part of a GDSS:

Questionnaire Tools

This allows questioning, data-gathering and investigation for planning and collaboration. Certain information systems and standalone platforms offer customizable, digital versions of this tool.

Electronic Brainstorming

This tool facilitates creations of proposals, ideas, and solutions that will help in making decisions. Features may allow the elimination of office politics interfering with the decision-making process by making submitted proposals, decisions, votes and/or opinions anonymous.

Stakeholder Identification

This tool determines the impact of the group’s decision. It may also have the capability to weigh each collaborator’s vote on a decision before finalizing it.

Group Dictionaries

This allows the system to reduce a particular problem or concern into distinct interpretations. These interpretations then allow decision-makers to make proper decisions.

Executive Support System (ESS)

Is a type of support system tailored specifically for executive use.

• Information Filtering

• Data Linking

• Executive Role Support

An ESS can have varying roles, depending which particular role it plays for an executive-level decision:

Information Filtering

An ESS can sift through vast volumes of information. This allows an executive or senior manager to narrow down the details surrounding a decision without the irrelevant data. This benefit, in turn, allows the executive to avoid being overwhelmed by information and pinpoint possible alternatives.

Data Linking

An ESS is able to link data from various sources, both internal and external, in order to provide the amount and kind of information that executives find useful. Since an ESS’s tools provide an easy way to manipulate and filter information, additional capabilities such as Internet connectivity can be incorporated to add more flexibility to the system.

Executive Role Support

An ESS can support the three (3) basic roles of an executive: interpersonal roles (leader, liaison, etc.), informational roles (spokesperson, monitor, announcer, etc.), and decisional roles (negotiator, entrepreneur, etc.).

• Interpersonal Roles (Leader, Liaison, etc.)

• Informational Roles (Spokesperson, Monitor, Announcer, etc.)

• Decisional Roles (Negotiator, Entrepreneur, etc.)

An ESS can support the three (3) basic roles of an executive:

• Simplicity

• Information Processing

• Flexibility

An ESS offers various advantages for executives, depending on applications of the system:

Simplicity

An ESS is considered an oversimplified information system due to the fact that it does not need in-depth computer experience to use. Executives can easily navigate and use the system without the complications involving specific functions and tools.

Information Processing

An ESS can facilitate the timely delivery of data through better filtering, tracking and processing in the shortest amount of time, which in turn produces relevant information for a senior manager for quick, efficient decision-making.

Flexibility

An ESS can be advantageous to organizations that have fewer layers of management, as it can be integrated into other information systems and subsystems through emerging new technologies.

• Computer Skill Requirement

• Long Processing Time

• Limitations on Summarized Information

• Difficulty in Quantifying Benefits

• Difficulty in Maintaining Database Integrity

As with most systems, usage of an ESS may be subject to certain risks:

Computer Skill Requirement

Usage of an ESS assumes that executives and senior managers know how to operate computers.

Long Processing Time

Depending on the volume of information, analysis and processing of data to get the desired information may take a considerable amount of time.

Limitations on Summarized Information

Information derived from specific data may be insufficient for executives to base a decision on, requiring them to derive data from other systems (such as DSS) to get specific data.

Difficulty in Quantifying Benefits

Since a decision processed by an ESS is based on summarized information, it may be hard for an executive to justify the said decision if specific details regarding the decision are queried.

Difficulty in Maintaining Database Integrity

Since an ESS derives on large volumes of data, some of them external, the data inside the database may not produce accurate or correct results, which may further complicate the processing of information.