Computer-Based Support for Group Problem-Finding: An Experimental Investigation1

There is very little empirical research available on the effectiveness of decision support systems applied to decision-making groups operating in face-to-face meetings. In order to expand research in this area, a laboratory study was undertaken to examine the effects of group decision support systems (GDSS) technology on group decision quality and individual perceptions within a problem-finding context. A crisis management task served as the decisionmaking context. Two versions of the experimental task, one higher in difficulty and the other lower in difficulty, were administered to GDSS-supported and non-supported decision-making groups, yielding a 2 X 2 factorial design. Decision quality was significantly better in those groups that received GDSS support. The GDSS was particularly helpful in the groups receiving the task of higher difficulty. Members’ decision confidence and satisfaction with the decision process were, however, lower in the GDSS- supported groups than in the nonsupported groups. These findings expand knowledge of the applicability of GDSS for decision-making tasks and suggest that dissatisfaction may be a stumbling block in user acceptance of these systems.