Ch8- Management Information and Decision Support Systems

What is the ultimate goal of management information and decision support systems in organisations?

• To automate all business processes

• To manage large databases efficiently

• To help managers and executives at all levels make better decisions and solve important problems

• To ensure all employees have access to real-time data

According to Herbert Simon's model, what are the three stages of the decision-making phase of the problem-solving process?

• Intelligence, design, and choice

• Data collection, analysis, implementation

• Planning, organizing, controlling

• Identification, evaluation, selection

MIS reports can be produced on a scheduled basis, by user demand, in response to exceptions, and in drill-down formats.

• True

• False

What is the key difference between programmed and non-programmed decisions?

• Programmed decisions are made by computers, while non-programmed decisions are made by humans

• Programmed decisions are made using a rule, procedure, or quantitative method, while non-programmed decisions deal with unusual or exceptional situations that are difficult to quantify

• Non-programmed decisions follow a specific set of rules, while programmed decisions deal with unusual situations

• Programmed decisions are strategic, while non-programmed decisions are operational

How can MIS and DSS support the 'Sense and Respond' (SaR) approach?

• By automating all responses to external stimuli

• By creating rigid organizational hierarchies

• By identifying problems/opportunities and developing systems to respond effectively

• By removing the need for decision-making structures

Which of the following is a key characteristic that differentiates a Decision Support System (DSS) from a Management Information System (MIS)?

• Providing reports with fixed and standard formats

• Supporting the solution of unstructured and semi-structured problems

• Primarily using internal data stored in the system

• Producing hard-copy and soft-copy reports

A model base in a DSS enables managers to perform simulations and forecasting using pre-defined models.

• True

• False

In decision support, what is the difference between 'optimization' and 'satisficing'?

• Optimization finds the best solution to meet goals; satisficing finds a good enough one given limitations

• Optimization seeks a good-enough solution, while satisficing finds the perfect one

• Optimization uses heuristics; satisficing uses hard data

• They are interchangeable terms

What makes Executive Support Systems (ESS) particularly valuable to senior managers?

• Processing large volumes of transaction data

• Automating operational tasks

• Providing strategic planning tools and high-level dashboards with drill-down capabilities

• Managing HR records and payroll

What can help executives analyze external market trends and internal performance data when making long-term strategic decisions?