A Critical Analysis of Decision Support Systems Research

Abstract

This paper critically analyses the nature and state of decision support systems (DSS) research. To provide context for the analysis, a history of DSS is presented which focuses on the evolution of a number of sub-groupings of research and practice: personal decision support systems, group support systems, negotiation support systems, intelligent decision support systems, knowledge managementbased DSS, executive information systems/business intelligence, and data warehousing. To understand the state of DSS research an empirical investigation of published DSS research is presented. This investigation is based on the detailed analysis of 1,020 DSS articles published in 14 major journals from 1990 to 2003. The analysis found that DSS publication has been falling steadily since its peak in 1994 and the current publication rate is at early 1990s levels. Other findings include that personal DSS and group support systems dominate research activity and data warehousing is the least published type of DSS. The journal DSS is the major publishing outlet; US 'Other' journals dominate DSS publishing and there is very low exposure of DSS in European journals. Around two-thirds of DSS research is empirical, a much higher proportion than general IS research. DSS empirical research is

It-Enabled Dynamic Capability on Performance: An Empirical Study of BSC Model

“…IT provides and uses information for the planning, execution, and control of activities (Arnott & Pervan, 2005, 2014Singh, Watson, & Watson, 2002). IT provides information to run a firm and achieve objectives and targets (Arnott & Pervan, 2014), enabling analysis and measurement of time variations, and redirecting actions that contribute to operational productivity (Kaplan & Norton, 2008).…”

Exploring Procedural Decision Support Systems for Wicked Problem Resolution

“…It therefore becomes pertinent to contextualize the DSS within the IS discipline, and to explore its relevance for research and practice within the IS field. DSSs are primarily defined as a specific variant of IS whose purpose is to support and improve the decision making performance of managers or other information and knowledge workers (Arnott & Pervan, 2005Sprague, 1987). Here, the standard view of IS as per Avison and Fitzgerald (2002) is employed, that is, a computer-based system within an organization that provides information as well as processes that are useful to the organization in terms of helping said organization to operate more effectively.…”

“…For the purposes of this article, a DSS is defined as some computer or IT-based (Arnott & Pervan, 2008;Hayen, 2006;Keen & Morton, 1978;Power, 2001;Shim et al, 2002) information system (Arnott & Pervan, 2005;Arnott, 2006;Arnott & Pervan, 2008;Power, 2001) that fulfills the purposes of supporting one or more stages of the semi-structured or unstructured decision making process (Keen & Morton, 1978;Power, 2001;Sprague, 1980) rather than replacing decision maker judgment (Hayen, 2006). The primary aim of this system is to increase the effectiveness of this process rather than operational efficiency, though efficiency may exist as a secondary goal (Arnott & Pervan, 2005;Arnott, 2006;Arnott & Pervan, 2008;Hayen, 2006;Keen & Morton, 1978;Pearson & Shim, 1995).…”

“…Decision support systems (DSSs) are information systems whose function is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of a decision process (Arnott, 2006;Arnott & Pervan, 2005;Keen & Morton, 1978). These systems were developed originally to address large-scale planning problems (Power, 2002) in light of the abovementioned shortcomings of human rationality (Shim et al, 2002), but later found their niche in more semi-structured types of decision problems (Power, 2002;Sprague, 1980).…”

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