Management Information Systems

PGDM – 2010-12
SEMESTER – III

Submitted to :
Prof. Agam Nag

Submitted by :
Ashish Attree - 2010273
Ashish Kanaya - 2010292
Varun Singh - 2010263
Vivek Parekh -2010281
Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS)
GDSS are a class of electronic meeting systems, a collaboration technology designed to
support meetings and group work. GDSS are distinct from computer supported cooperative
work technologies as GDSS are more focused on task support, whereas CSCW tools provide
general communication support.
(Ref : Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_decision_support_systems)

It aids groups, especially groups of managers, in analyzing problem situations and in

performing group decision making tasks.

GDSS is a tool to improve the efficiency, reliability, and quality of group decisions in
meetings. The components, GDSS consists of (i) hardware, (ii) software, (iii) people, and (iv)
Procedures which are illustrated in Figure.

Components of GDSS

(http://home.bre.polyu.edu.hk/~bsjacky/gdss/L4a.htm )

WHY GDSS?
In organizations, institutes or any place where a decision is made using a group discussion, it
is important to reach a consensus within a group in a stipulated time period. GDSS is
considered as a solution to such problems as time consumption, dominate members and
participation that are associated with large group meetings can defeat the main purpose of a
GD.
Factor that have led to the recent explosion in GDSS:

Organizational Reasons: Have to do with reflecting people’s desire to be involved in the

decision making process. Management decision requires the participation of many people
because of:

 More complex decision environments

 Specialization of decision makers
 Emphasis on time as a competitive resource
 Groupthink.

GDSS make it less threatening for group members to violate group norms by stating new
opinion or disagreeing with them.

TYPES OF GDSS: (http://staf.uum.edu.my/mohdnoor/QIT3023/notes/qit08.pdf)

a) Connection management systems:

 providing a physical mechanism through which people involved in a decision can
communicate e.g.: WAN architecture

b) Communication management:
 enhance information flow by means of facilities to store, reply, forward etc. e.g.
electronic mail packages and discussion groups

c) Content management systems:

 provides intelligent routing, the system knows where a document goes after its current
user finishes with it, or where the messages should go once it is entered e.g.
decision conference systems

d) Process management:
 Considering the content of the information in the flow in deciding what to do with it.

Need at IMT:
Groups that might benefit with the use of GDSS at IMT, Nagpur are:

Students Affairs Council : Members from different forums and committees form the SAC
committee which takes care of the students welfare. As all of them are from different groups
it is very important for such a group to reach a cordial decision. Hence GDSS can help such
groups to get the best out of them.

Other forums and committees : Other committees and forums can also use the GDSS
infrastructure during their regular meetings.

Professors Associations : Professors association can also use GDSS to plan the Academic
Schedule for the next year with APO and to plan the annual faculty meetings for the welfare
of the institution.
GDSS system would be most effective in instances of geographic separation and situations
where the knowledge and resources of a team need to be captured in a common forum.

Components of GDSS:

Hardware: The GDSS would consist of a main computer at the front of an auditorium for the
group leader, and the necessary number of additional computers put up in a U-shaped
configuration to be used by the group members. A projection system and an overhead
projector will allow the group to see the displays at the front of the auditorium.

Software tools:
Electronic brainstorming tools will allow the Senior Management to simultaneously put
forth ideas regarding new protocols for the university or additions of new programs to the
university curriculum. They can also use the electronic brainstorming tools to come up with
ideas on special events that will take place at the university.

Idea organizers will organize the ideas brought up in the electronic brainstorming session
and put them into separate categories into the file server on the main computer. With the idea
organizer, all of the random ideas proposed by the members of the Senior Management in the
electronic brainstorming session will become organized and will take the information to the
next step in decision-making such as voting or setting priorities.

Tools for voting or setting priorities will allow several possibilities to implement the
decision-making by way of voting for decisions on the aforementioned ideas and ranking
their priorities.

After agreeing on which ideas to implement in the university, a policy needs to be written.
Policy formation tools will provide help and support for developing agreement on the
wording of policy statements and event protocols.

The People Element:

The Senior Management of IMT who will meet in the auditorium designed for that type of
meetings. The staff (techies) responsible for the maintenance and support of both the
hardware and software used in the GDSS.

References Used :
 Principles of Information Systems by Dr. Amos Baranes