Page 46 - DCAP208_Management Support Systems

Unit 3: Decision Support Systems

3.4 Summary Notes

A decision support system (DSS) is a computer program application that analyzes business
data and presents it so that users can make business decisions more easily.

In terms of dealing with many managerial and executive decisions that are made daily in
the workplace, decision support systems can be a great tool for supervisors, department
heads, and site managers.
A decision support system is an internal business element that provides owners, executives,
and other employees with information for making informed decisions.
Companies can define their own characteristics of decision support systems.
A typical Decision support systems has four components: data management, model
management, knowledge management and user interface management.
The data management component performs the function of storing and maintaining the
information that you want your Decision Support System to use.

The model management component consists of both the Decision Support System models
and the Decision Support System model management system.

The user interface management component allows you to communicate with the Decision
Support System.

3.5 Keywords

Data Management: The data management component performs the function of storing and
maintaining the information that you want your Decision Support System to use.

DSS: A decision support system (DSS) is a computer program application that analyzes business
data and presents it so that users can make business decisions more easily.
Knowledge Management: The knowledge management component provides information about
the relationship among data that is too complex for a database to represent.
Model Management: The model management component consists of both the Decision Support
System models and the Decision Support System model management system.
Model: A model is a representation of some event, fact, or situation.
Task-oriented Activities: Task-oriented activities means that the support system can handle
more than one activity at a time, which is essential.
User Interface Management: The user interface management component allows you to
communicate with the Decision Support System.
User Interface: The user interface is the part of the system you see through it when enter
information, commands, and models.

3.6 Review Questions

1. Explain the concept of decision support system.
2. Illustrate how decision support systems can be a great tool for supervisors, department
heads, and site managers.

3. Discuss the Configuration of DSS.

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