Page 34 - DCAP208_Management Support Systems

Unit 2: Decision Support

Decision making is the process of making a choice between a number of options and Notes
committing to a future course of actions.

A decision maker develops a plan affecting long-term organizational outcomes utilizing
existing organizational resources.
A decision tree is analyzed in reverse order from right to left going back chronologically.

The intelligence phase involves scanning the environment – identifying problem situations
(opportunities), monitoring the results of implementation.
The design phase involves finding or developing and analyzing possible courses of action:
understanding the problem and testing solution for feasibility.
The choice phase includes the search for, evaluation of, and recommendation of an
appropriate solution to a model.

The implementation phase involves putting a recommended solution to work, not
necessarily implementing a computer system.

2.6 Keywords

Administrative Model: Administrative model describes how decisions are actually made.

Choice Phase: The choice phase includes the search for, evaluation of, and recommendation of an
appropriate solution to a model.
Decision Making: Decision making is the process of making a choice between a number of
options and committing to a future course of actions.
Design Phase: The design phase involves finding or developing and analyzing possible courses
of action: understanding the problem and testing solution for feasibility.
Implementation Phase: The implementation phase involves putting a recommended solution
to work, not necessarily implementing a computer system.
Intelligence Phase: The intelligence phase involves scanning the environment – identifying
problem situations (opportunities), monitoring the results of implementation.

Non-programmed Decision: A decision which cannot be made by using a rule or a model is the
non-programmed decision.
Rational-Economic (or Classical) Model: The Rational-Economic (or Classical) Model is
prescriptive in that it focuses on how decisions ought to be made.

2.7 Review Questions

1. Explain the concept of decision making with example.
2. Illustrate how to resolve the complexity of decision making.

3. Make distinction between programmed and non-programmed decision.
4. Explain the steps included in the Decision making Process.
5. Describe the decision making process with example.
6. What are the major elements of decision making? Discuss.
7. Discuss the role of Decision making in a total quality environment.

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