It is a type of information system that helps executives make better decisions using historical and current data derived from internal information systems, as well as external sources.

These systems can be comprised of smaller computer-based systems and subsystems that are intended to help decision-makers important tasks, such as usage of communication technologies, collation and organization of data and documents, and the processing of data using tools and models.

Five (5) generic categories can be proposed.

A DSS can target internal (employees, executives, board of directors, managers) or external (consumers, regulators, investors, suppliers) stakeholders.

A DSS can have specific or very generalized objectives. This is usually based on a specific application the system will be dealing with.

A DSS can be deployed on either a mainframe computer, a client/server LAN network, or a web-based system architecture.

The most commonly seen component, it contains the various way for a user to interact with the system. A typical user interface may contain menus, submenus, buttons and icons that will allow the system user to access the various resources available to the system.

This component holds all digitized data and information essential for the system’s tasks. This can have specialized components apart from their usual purpose of holding data.

These are the technical components that will allow the system accomplish its scope.

These refer to how the system hardware is organized, how software and data is distributed, and how other components of the system are integrated and connected. Organizations can opt for a networked or a web-based architecture, depending on the system applications.

This type of DSS can take a very large amount of data available from various other information systems (such as Transaction Processing Systems) and derive useful information for decision-making. This system

It emphasizes access and manipulation of large amounts of internal and/or external data. Possible tools for this system include File Management Systems, Executive Information Systems (EIS), and Spatial Decision Support Systems.

These types of DSS are designed to support more specific functions for specific types of industries or businesses. The purpose of this type of system is mostly to solve problems involving broad, routine or recurring decision tasks. These systems can have different primary key factors and can be classified as a hybrid DSS type depending on the tasks they perform.

These types of DSS put external (clients, customers, business partners, etc.) and internal (departments in the organization, employees, managers, etc.) as its primary key factor.

Considered a relatively new type of DSS, it is made possible by emerging technologies and the rapid growth and popularity of the Internet as a business tool.

This type of DSS, previously known as the Group Decision Support System (GDSS) or Groupware, includes communication, collaboration, and decision support technologies that do not fit with other DSS types.

Potential tools for this system include document sharing either via network or the web, electronic communication such as email, collaboration scheduling tools.

It is considered as a hybrid system that emphasizes both the use of communication and decision models. This allows the system to solve problems of decision-makers that work together as a group.

This type of DSS, also known as the Knowledge Management System, is a currently evolving system capable of helping managers work on unstructured digital documents and web pages.

This allows the system to handle organizational files, such as policies and procedures, product specifications, catalogs, and corporate historical documents such as meeting minutes, records, and internal/external correspondence. Allowing the system to access web-based resources adds a bigger scope of use for the system.

The system integrates a variety of storage and processing technologies to provide retrieval and analysis of documents and other types of media, such as web pages, images, audio and video.

This type of DSS focuses on knowledge as its primary framework factor.

This system can suggest or recommend actions to managers by providing expert knowledge on a particular domain, as well as solving any problems inherent in that domain.

The concept of data mining can be correlated to this system, as it involves the processing of stored data to produce data content relationships via hidden patterns.

This type of DSS emphasizes access to and manipulation of a data model in order to help decision-making for possible and probable situations.

Includes systems that use accounting or financial models, representational models, and optimization models.

This system can include statistical and analytical tools such as data processing, data segregation, and parameter setting. Unlike a data-driven DSS, this type of system is not data- intensive

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.

Reduces pressures of conformity that may result in “groupthink” (consensus due to peer/group/member pressure). Streamlines coordination, representation and planning of collaboration meetings.

Allows group to better understand problems and eliminate errors. Allows members to utilize information and/or knowledge based on their areas of expertise.

Provides access to rules that will aid in arriving to decisions. Utilizes tools and subsystems to generate useful ideas and alternatives.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

It is a type of support system tailored specifically for executive use. The need for the system arises due to the fact that DSS implementations are specific to select personnel and/or departments, meaning that executives will have little use for them.

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.

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.

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.).

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

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

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.

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.

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.