DS Systems

DS systems are critical in organizations today for they help make practical use of computers to help make important decisions. Computerized decision support systems became practical with the development of minicomputers, timeshare operating systems and distributed computing.[i] These systems cut away from the time it would take humans to make the decisions and also lets you analyze the data where there might be errors occurring. The Decision Support Systems has been evolving through out the decades and are not new to organizational use. The most recent evolutionary phase of DSS was when the internet came to be and web-based DSS were able to perform tasks for organizations. One example of a web-based DSS is Booz-Allens Purchasing Analysis Tool. This allows organizations to, “…analysis of historic purchasing data; predefined graphs and reports for performing analysis within and across business units; and a flexible Java-based OLAP tool for drill-down, pivot, filter, and selection on a purchasing database.”[ii] This type of software will let you save time from going over thousands of records and collecting data to make tables and analyze how your business is doing. You are able to get many reports that explain how a organization is performing without wasting the man power. You also are saving money by eliminating the people that have to analyze the data. This is a more cost efficient way of examining an organization. In the research I have been doing some think that Web-Based DSS are the future because, “…Web based decision services can support information exchange and knowledge, software and model sharing from different organizations through web.”[iii] This idea links DSS services through Web 2.0 and will allow organizations to expand, grow, and work more proficiently. When you start to dig deeper into the theoretical side of DSS it starts to get very confusing. Best way of putting it was by Hemant Bhargava, “… The emerging web-based collaborative decision support services (WCDSS) are driven by Practical necessity rather than by abstract theory.”[iv] The actual thought of what is needed is actually becoming a necessity in today’s business world.

[i] http://dssresources.com/history/dsshistory.html

[ii] http://www.taborcommunications.com/dsstar/98/0818/100261.html

[iii] http://www.isprs.org/proceedings/XXXVI/part2/pdf/wang.pdf

[iv] http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~compsim/articles/kri-joc-web.pdf
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Optimization Model

Decision making is defines as, " Decision making can be regarded as the mental processes (cognitive process) resulting in the selection of a course of action among several alternative scenarios. Every decision making process produces a final choice.”[i] When making decisions it is very important that you think of first what you are trying to accomplish and second what is the best way to achieve the desired outcome. One approach that is used widely is the optimization model. This model is a process that helps organizations find the best solution by meeting the goals set out by the organization. The process is picked and reformed on a situational basis to pick the best solution out of a group of answers. Many times this model uses mathematical processes to help reach the end conclusion of which solution to use.

Companies use optimization software to help look at alternative solutions to problems faced. Optimization uses constraints to make sure that the solution is practical and actually fits the problem at hand. An example of optimization software is Lindo Systems. This company is in the business of, “…providing fast, easy to use tools for mathematical optimization. Day in and day out, LINDO Systems' optimizers provide critical answers to thousands of businesses around the world”[ii] It gives you the support you need to make tough business decisions and also supports different areas your business may be having problems. This approach can help take a failing Information System and help decide the corrective action needed to make things work. For example, Microsofts Optimization Model says, “Microsoft Optimization is a structured, systematic process for assessing infrastructure and platform maturity levels across IT capabilities in order to provide an Optimization road-map toward a Dynamic IT. The road-map helps companies to define and implement Optimization initiatives that will enable proactive, IT management and deliver cost and risk reductions across the IT organization.”[iii] This is one good way that a situation can be taken by the horns and used in a way that will optimize the resources for a company saving money. Many times humans are not able to figure out what is wrong or how to optimize what is happening in the workplace. This process allows you to prosper as a business and follow a path towards the best solution.

[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_making

[ii] http://www.lindo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23&Itemid=2

[iii]http://microsoftio.partnersalesresources.com/content/overview/Microsoft_Optimization_Models_Foundation_Evolution_and_Validation.pdf

E-Commerce

E-Commerce is an interesting concept that involves people using the internet to perform business activities over computer networks. This allows people to exchange good and services without ever having to meet or even communicate at all. The luxury of being able to go cloths shopping in your pajamas while never leaving your couch is one many can not seem to pass up. According to some e-retail statistics, “E-commerce sales in the U.S. totaled $38.00 billion in the first three months of this year versus $33.98 billion in Q1 2010.” This is an astonishing number considering that many economists believe that we are in a double dip recession as of right now. The connivance that e-commerce gives to customers allows companies to be versatile within their sector and reach two markets with the same products. For example, you can go to a mall and go shopping the physical location such as Victoria’s Secret. Victoria’s Secret also has an e-store where you can get many of the same products maybe more, due to not having physical inventory; therefore, limiting the sale of some products. In an e-store you have to ability to sell more items because you don’t need a store front only a virtual front. The inventory can be held at any warehouse, that your item will be shipped from. This allows you to save room and be a player in the e-commerce business sector. Many companies have both a actual store and e-store to accommodate to e-consumers. The e-store has many advantages over a physical store for example, “Generally, online sellers features lower prices because they don't have the overhead of renting a pad in a strip mall, high electric bills, and a staff of sales people.” Another advantage of doing e-shopping is the advantage that you may not have to pay taxes on the items bought depending on where you live. This is a great incentive for shopping online and one reason, besides connivance, that I think e-commerce is on a steady incline in sales. There is one thing I don’t think a e-store can compare with and that is the human need to be around other people even though they may not know any of them. This interaction is very interesting and can be seen at the mall every day. People go to the mall and are able to be around other human beings and walk around and window shop. This sense of belonging to something is one big reason I think Malls are so popular. The modern day mall is now catering to everything from shopping to amusement parks. People wait hours to get a parking spot at the Garden State Plaza to do shopping and spend a day with other people doing the same thing. This could all be avoided if they were to just shop online and have the items delivered. E-commerce has changed the way our society does business and will continue to increase as we reach into the future. Jim Marks an e-commerce specialst said, “With e-commerce, the challenge is always converting people from lookers to bookers. But in general, people are becoming more comfortable online, as systems become easier and quicker to use.”

http://www.internetretailer.com/2011/05/10/e-retail-sales-jump-12-q1
http://tv.about.com/od/learningcenter/a/onlinevsstoretv.htm

http://www.famousquotes.com/author/jim-marks/