Impact of group decision support systems: Opening the black box

Previous research on Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) and its impacts have predominantly adopted a ‘black box’ approach in which GDSS design or decision settings have been manipulated and the variation in their effects on decision quality, efficiency, or decision makers' attitudes have been measured. A decade of research in this area has failed to provide convergence of findings; results are mixed and to date, there is limited understanding of the phenomena. This study leans on the Adaptive Structuration Theory and uses the ‘Faithfulness of Appropriation’ concept in the theory to explain ‘why’ GDSS usage has resulted in such equivocal outcomes and perceptions. A process-oriented approach is taken to examine decisional outcomes in an experimental setting that uses a GDSS enriched with embedded decisional guidance. The study contributes to theory by providing better insight into the process of GDSS usage. It also indicates the need to tailor the training and decisional guidance in a manner that promotes faithful appropriation of the structure of the GDSS, thereby leading to better decision outcomes and perceptions of the decision process.