Discussion 1 Topic: Manager's Decision Support Tools
· DQ1: Read the journal article, "Executive Information Systems: Their impact on Executive Decision Making." Based on the information presented in the article, discuss the following:
o The tools executive managers use when making major decisions
o The relationship between the tools the executive managers' use and the managers' tasks
o The reasons for using the support tools
· Considerations: Organizations generate huge amounts of data. Creating a management dashboard from this data can be an extremely challenging task. The challenge is in aggregating the right data to produce information useful to decision processes. An additional challenge is pulling data from many disparate systems, in different formats. As noted in the required reading (journal article), a significant amount of effort can be applied toward constructing a management dashboard only to later learn that it may not be fit for purpose. When beginning a project to develop a management dashboard, always begin with the system requirements-how will the system be used and what is required to satisfy that use. The software market offers a large variety of executive information systems (EIS). Finding the right EIS can be a challenge and few will provide all of the decision support necessary forecasting and simulating the future of the organization; however, overtime, executives become savvier in differentiating the utility provided by EIS and market reality.
Discussion 2 Topic: Managerial Planning
· DQ2: What are the types of plans? How are they distinguished from one another? Do you think plans with incremental objectives are more effective than those that contain stretch goals? Why or why not? Support your opinion with outside resources.
Review several of your peers' posts. Discuss how and why these changes have occurred, with at least two of your peers. Your initial post should be at least 200 words in length.