Some decision sciences research agenda items for the next century

This paper identifies and elaborates on some research agenda items in the decision sciences area for the next century. The paper discusses future research needs under the following three topical areas: (1) education of group and individual decision makers, where problems related to use of quantitative tools by non-quantitative types, group decision making, problem structuring, are highlighted, (2) the user-technology interface, which needs to be made more effective mainly using computer technology is suggested. In other words, the role of the expert-analyst consultant ought to be shifted to addressing higher level or longer term activities rather than dealing with users for minor clarifications, (3) new technology needs, for example, the lack of data for solving problems, how to optimally harness massive computing power, development of new units of study, such as, catastrophes, priorities, etc., for analysing various situations, compressing massive databases into ‘formula’ types of ‘DNA’ types, and so on. In the last section, the authors engage in some futuristic and unconstrained thinking and describe a day in the life of a management analyst in the year 2089.