Utilizing GDSS technology: Final report on a recent empirical study

In recent years, Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) technology has attracted considerable research interest. Proponents argue that GDSS can improve group decisions by supporting face-to-face conferencing, remote site teleconferencing, and remote/local computer conferencing. Emerging capabilities in telecommunications technology have enhanced these prospects. A survey of 135 randomly-selected organizations determined that GDSS are gradually being incorporated into the organization’s information system (IS) portfolio. Apparently organizations are increasing their commitment to GDSS and current implementations are heaviest in the remote/local computer conferencing arena, especially in electronic mail. A factor analysis of respondent data showed that GDSS usually involves planning, administrative, and data analysis tasks. Usage also varies significantly with certain organizational size variables.