IS THAT SPAN THE ORGANIZATIONAL BOUNDARIES

 There are also information systems that span all

levels of the organization.
1. Decision support system
2. Expert system
3. Office automation system
4. Collaboration technologies
5. Functional area information systems
6. Global information system
 Decision support system
 DSS support analytical work in semi structured or
unstructured situation . They enable managers to answer
“What if”? (Checks the impact of a change in the
assumptions or other input data on the proposed solution)
Questions by providing powerful models and
tools(simulation , optimization) to evaluate alternatives(e.g.,
evaluating alternative marketing plans). DSS are user
friendly and highly interactive . Although they use data from
TPS and MIS they also allow the inclusion of new data ,
often from external sources , such as current share prices or
product prices of competitors.
DSS help managers make decisions that are unique , rapidly
changing and not easily specified in advance.
 Cont…

 The basic features of DSSs are:

1. Flexible , adaptable , quick
2. Users control inputs/outputs
3. No professional programming
4. Generally at the management level
5. Analytical in nature
 TYPES OF DSS
 There are two types of DSS
1. Model-driven DSS: were primarily stand
alone system that used some type of model
to perform ” What-if ” analyses.
2. Data-driven DSS: are systems that support
decision making by allowing users to
extract and analyze useful information
buried in large database.
 DSS Application
 Data-driven and Model-driven DSS are
helping companies improve SCM and
CRM .The prime management goal of DSSs
for supply chain management is to reduce
overall costs while increasing the speed and
accuracy for filling customer orders .DSS for
customer relationship management allows
companies to segment their customers base
with high level of precision where it can be
used to drive a market campaign.
 Expert systems

 Expert systems are used when expertise for

a particular problem is rare or expensive ,
such as in the case of a complex machine
repair or medical diagnosis . Expert systems
are also used when knowledge about the
problem will be incomplete such as
investment portfolio or troubleshooting the
computer system.
 Office Automation System
 OAS support office work for handling and managing
documents , scheduling resources, and facilitating
communication. Documents development tools include
word processing , DTP software , as well as the hardware
for printing and producing documents . Scheduling tools
include electronic calendars that help manage human and
other resources, such as equipment and rooms.
Communication technologies include electronic mail,
voice mail,fax,videoconferencing and groupware.
packages like PowerPoint and personal database systems
are part of OAS.
 Cont…
 Types of activities supported by an OAS include
the following:
1. Communicating(email,voicemail,groupware,
videoconferencing)
2. Document preparation-word processing,DTP.
3. Analyzing data
4. Consolidating information
5. Provide a paperless office and a bright , cheerful
workplace
6. Scheduling resources-electronic calanders.
 Collaboration Technologies
 As compared to the traditional office technologies ,
telephones and pagers , e-mail is better for this type of
collaboration. Still better are the technologies discussed
below:
1. Videoconferencing : videoconferencing refers to seeing a
live picture with our phone calls . Desktop
videoconferencing represents a second generation of
video communication but the quality of the video or
audio is not as good.
 Cont…

 Groupware: Groupware includes software

for group writing and commenting ,
information-sharing ,electronic meeting ,
scheduling and e-mail and a network to
connect the members of the group as they
work on their own desktop computers, often
in widely scattered locations. Groove is a
new groupware