PETAPS: A prototype decision support system for consumer product marketing and promotion

The concept of decision support systems has been proposed as an approach to providing flexible, computer-based support for relatively complex decision problems. In this paper, we report on the design and development of a prototype decision support system – Promotion Evaluation, Tracking and Planning System – built for a large, multinational consumer goods manufacturing and marketing company operating in Australia and New Zealand. We provide an analysis of the marketing environment and the role of promotions which leads to the identification of the critical decisions that needed to be supported. The diverse data needs, the suitable models to analyse the data, and the appropriate software tools to prototype the system are outlined. The components and the implementation of the prototype are described. The limitations of the prototype and suggestions for further refinement are dealt with in conclusion.