Management positions in making decisions

Decision Support System
Decision-making is important to many organizations, which led to the development of Decision support systems. In actual sense, Decision support systems (DSS) systems are interactive and software-based and designed to aid those in management positions in making decisions by providing access to massive information volumes generated from various related information systems involved in an organization’s business processes. These kinds of information systems are widely recognized as crucial to any business’s smooth functioning. It encompasses a wide range of software, including office automation systems, transaction processing systems, and many others (Jayawickrama et al., 2021). This part discusses Decision support systems in terms of their importance and application in relation to decision-making by management

DSS uses analytical models to use the summarized data and any observable outliers, trends or patterns. Models that may be analyzed include: A decision support system is a tool that aids humans in making decisions but does not provide a final verdict on its own (Salles, 2015). Those in positions of authority gather the information that can be put to a useful purpose by drawing on data, documents, personal experience, and business models (Salles, 2015). This paves the way for them to identify issues, generate options, and settle on a course of action. Therefore, in organizations, DSS systems would use the data collected in relation to a given issue to provide the management with the vital information they need to consider before making the decision (Jayawickrama et al., 2021). This, therefore, means that the decisions based on these systems are based on data, which makes the decision wiser than those that rely only on human thinking.
There are several important decision support systems for an organization. First, DSS improves the efficiency of workflow. Errors are minimized, and productivity is increased with the help of decision support systems. Decision support systems can improve efficiency by reducing time spent on critical decision-making, allowing workers to get more done during their shifts (Jayawickrama et al., 2021). By providing predictions or data to back up each decision, the system helps professionals avoid errors and negative outcomes and boosts productivity even further. Another importance of the system is that it helps an organization plan and manage. Success rates in planning and management may be boosted by the system as well. It is much easier for professionals to fix errors or launch new processes thanks to the detailed plans for implementation provided by many decision support systems. It is a helpful tool for management and takes some pressure off. Another importance is that it helps determine potential outcomes. Decision support systems also assist experts in foreseeing the potential outcomes of their choices (Jayawickrama et al., 2021). The system can forecast how a choice will affect the business or the customer by looking at historical data and current trends or facts. Decision-makers may choose the most effective action by considering all possible consequences. Therefore, the organization can avoid any losses it could incur without the system as they are allowed to make changes after foreseeing a possible failure.
There are several categories of DSS that organizations can choose from to help in the business. The first category is communication decision support systems. The primary goal is to make it easier for people to work together so that several people may access and utilize it simultaneously (Salles, 2015). The primary goal of this layout is to let groups of people make choices collectively by providing them with the resources they need. With the system, decisions based on communication are supported by the organization. The second category is Decision support systems that are data-driven. This system uses both internal corporate data and external industry information. The method is centered on identifying, collecting, and analyzing relevant data. The third DSS category is the Document based support system. These systems may store, organize, and identify more unstructured data. File management systems handle media like documents, music, and videos.
The fourth category is model-focused systems. In this system, Financial data, statistics, simulations and optimizing procedures are all employed. They, therefore, help professionals make choices (Salles, 2015). This strategy requires significantly less data than other forms of decision-making software. The last category is Knowledgeable DSS. This specialized decision support system makes optimum suggestions based on industry data and standard operating procedures (Salles, 2015). Prediction, deduction, and pattern recognition are the backbones of such a system. Therefore, the organization must choose the category that best fits its demands. The choice would be based on the data the organization uses daily and how they relate to decision-making.

References
Jayawickrama, U., Delias, P., Escobar, M. T., & Papathanasiou, J. (Eds.). (2021). Decision support systems XI: Decision support systems, analytics and technologies in response to global crisis management: 7Th international conference on decision support system technology, ICDSST 2021, loughborough, UK, may 26-28, 2021, proceedings. Springer International Publishing.
Salles, M. (2015). Decision Support Systems. In Decision-Making and the Information System (pp. 43–88). John Wiley & Sons, Inc.