(IS Ch 6) - Information and decision support systems

Management information system

is an information system used for decision-making, and for the coordination, control, analysis, and visualization of information in an organization.

scheduled report

Produced periodically, such as daily, weekly, or monthly. For example, a production manager could use a weekly summary report listing total payroll costs to monitor and control labour and job costs

key-indicator report

summarizes previous day's critical activities and is available at the beginning of each work day.
-Used by managers and executives to take quick, corrective action on significant aspects of the business

who uses key-indicator report?

Used by managers and executives to take quick, corrective action on significant aspects of the business

Demand Reports

Demand reports are developed to provide certain information upon request and are produced on demand rather than a schedule

Exception Reports

Reports that are automatically produced when a situation is unusual or requires management action

Drill-down reports

Provide increasingly detailed data about a situation

Decision Support Systems

a set of related computer programs and the data required to assist with analysis and decision-making within an organization.

Different decision frequencies

One-time: ad hoc DSS
Repetitive: institutional DSS

Different Problem Structures

Highly structured vs. semi or unstructured

Support for various decision-making levels

Operational, tactical, strategic

group support system (GSS)

Consists of most of the elements in a DSS, plus software to provide effective support in group decision-making settings

Executive support system (ESS)

Specialized DSS that includes all the hardware, software, data, procedures, and people used to assist senior-level executives within an organization.

what does ESS/EIS do?

ESS, also called Executive Information Systems (EIS), supports decision making of members of the board of directors, who are responsible to stockholders

Capabilities of Executive Support Systems

- Defining an overall vision
- Strategic planning
- Strategic organizing and staffing
- Strategic control
- Crisis management

database management system

software that handles the storage, retrieval, and updating of data in a computer system.

model base

allows managers and decision makers to perform qualitative analysis on both internal and external data

Model Management System (MMS)

is a component of DSS architecture which provides for the creation, storage, manipulation, and access of models

Components of a DSS

At the core of a DSS are a database and a model base.

Drill-down reports: A high level first

such as sales for the entire company

Drill-down reports: At a more detailed level

sales for one department of the company

Drill-down reports: At a very detailed level

sales for one sales representative