Content area
Abstract
Current business environments are becoming more turbulent, complex, and dynamic. It is a cognitively demanding task for today's business executives to process and conceptualize the multitude of conflicting environmental data.
Most executive information systems are designed from the view point of the behavioral aspect of executive work, that is, these systems are aimed to meet executives' information and communication needs. The cognitive aspect of executive support has been largely ignored in the executive support system research. This dissertation focuses on the cognitive aspect of executive work and proposes a three-mode conceptual model for building an executive support system in understanding dynamic business environments and strategic problems. This research argues that information system support to business executives may be delivered through three modes: retrospective, introspective, and prospective. In line with the three modes, case studies, cognitive mapping, and scenario building are proposed to be the vehicles for realizing the three types of support.
The proposed conceptual model is validated through building a computer prototype system and conducting subsequent multiple case studies involving real world business executives. The prototype computer system, implemented using Visual Basic programming language, comprises three major subsystems: case memory, mapping assumptions, and scenario generator. The results of the case studies demonstrated that the system could be a valuable tool in augmenting an executive's own memory and reasoning processes.
The contribution of this research consists of: (1) proposing a new way of designing an executive support system; (2) proposing a conceptual model for executive support systems; and (3) implementing a computer prototype system that embodies the conceptual model.
