Session 4

Decision Support Systems 150:127 -- D. Power

Today's Agenda -- Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007

  1. Date for Exam #1, Thurs, Feb. 8, DSS Ch. 1-4 and Excel concepts (100 pts.)
  2. Excel review question answers. Also, complete the Quick Check questions.
  3. Gaining Competitive Advantage with DSS -- Resource-based view of a firm argues that for a capability like a DSS to create a competitive advantage it must be rare (uncommon), valuable, hard to imitate, and no close substitute for the capability (Barney 1991).
  4. Ask Dan! What is a cost estimation DSS?
  5. Tutorial 6 "Introduction to VBA"
    1. Complete Tutorial 6 and then complete steps 1-10 of the Review Assignments on pages 352-353. Submit by the end of class printouts. Print the annotated code for the AgeYears function in step 5. Print the macro code in step 10 and then use the macro to print the workbook. You should have 2 VBA modules. Staple the 3 sheets in the order listed.

To Do and Upcoming

For Class Session 5 -- Tuesday, Jan. 23

  • Read Ask Dan! DSS Theory "What is an example of a decision process?"
  • Read Ch. 3. Analyzing Business Decision Processes
    1. What is the difference betweeen the operational control and operational performance levels in an organization hierarchy? How does level in the hierarchy impact need for and type of DSS?
    2. How does a structured problem/decision situation differ from an unstructured problem/decision situation? What are examples?
    3. What is the "context" of a managerial decision making situation? Does context impact the design and use of a specific DSS?
    4. What does it mean to say that a decision is successful? When can and should managers conclude a decision has been successful?
    5. How does redesigning a business decision process differ from reengineering the process?