Transcript Slide 1

Decision Making as a Component of
Problem Solving
Programmed versus Nonprogrammed
Decisions
• Programmed decisions
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Structured situations with well defined relationships
Quantifiable
Management information system
Easy to computerize
• Nonprogrammed decisions
– Rules and relationships not defined
– Problem is not routine
– Not easily quantifiable
Problem Solving Approaches
• Optimization: find the best solution
• Satisficing: find a good solution
• Heuristics: rules of thumb
Inputs to an MIS
Characteristics of an MIS
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Fixed format, standard reports
Hard-copy or soft-copy reports
Uses internal data
User-developed reports
Users must request formal reports from IS
department
Functional Aspects of an MIS
Financial MIS
Manufacturing MIS
• Design engineering
• Process control
– Computer-assisted manufacturing (CAM)
– Computer-integrated manufacturing (CIM)
– Flexible manufacturing system
• Quality control and testing
Overview of a Manufacturing MIS
Marketing MIS
Human Resource MIS
Other MIS
• Accounting management information systems
• Geographic information systems (GIS)
Characteristics of Decision Support
Systems
• Handle large amounts of data from various
sources
• Provide report and presentation flexibility
• Offer both textual and graphical orientation
• Support drill down analysis
Characteristics of a DSS
• Perform complex, sophisticated analysis
• Optimization, satisficing, heuristics
– Simulation
– What-if analysis
– Goal-seeking analysis
Capabilities of a DSS
• Support all problem-solving phases
• Support different decision frequencies
• Support different problem structures
• Support various decision-making levels
Selected DSS Applications
Support for Various Decision-Making
Levels
Factor
DSS
Problem Type New, Unstructured Problems
Users
In the short term, users have
more control
Support
Not intended to replace the
human decision maker
Emphasis
Decisions and decision making
style
Approach
Direct support through
System
Speed
Output
Development
MIS
Routine, Structured Problems
In the short term, user have less
control
Some automatic decisions can
be made
Data to Information
Automation of regular business
interactive, drill-down interface reporting
On-line, real-time, on-screen,
Generate hard-copy reports,
interactive
scheduled reporting, up-to-date
but not necessarily real-time
Response time should be faster Response time usually slower
Screen, interactive interface
Oriented towards static, printed
reports and documents
Developed in close
Off-the-shelf solutions
collaboration with users and
developed for general users
decision makers
Components of a DSS
The Model Base
• Financial models
– Cash flow
– Internal rate of return
• Statistical analysis models
– Summary statistics
– Trend projections
– Hypothesis testing
• Graphical models
• Project management models
Executive Support Systems
Executive Support Systems (ESS) in
Perspective
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Tailored to individual executives
Easy to use
Drill down capabilities
Support need for external data
Can help when uncertainty is high
Future-oriented
Linked to value-added processes
Capabilities of an ESS
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Support for defining an overall vision
Support for strategic planning
Support for strategic organizing & staffing
Support for strategic control
Support for crisis management
Summary
• Decision-making phase: includes intelligence, design,
and choice
• Problem solving: also includes implementation and
monitoring
• Decision approaches: optimization, satisficing, and
heuristic
Summary
• Management information system (MIS) - an integrated
collection of people, procedures, databases, and devices
that provide managers and decision-makers with
information to help achieve organizational goals
• Decision support system (DSS) - an organized
collection of people, procedures, software, databases,
and devices working to support managerial decision
making
• Executive support systems (ESSs) - specialized
decision support systems designed to meet the needs of
senior management