COMPLEXITY AND FAMILIARITY WITH COMPUTER ASSISTANCE WHEN MAKING ILL-STRUCTURED BUSINESS DECISIONS

David L. McLain () and Ramon J. Aldag ()
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David L. McLain: School of Management, State University of New York Institute of Technology, Utica, NY 13504-3050, USA
Ramon J. Aldag: School of Business, University of Wisconsin, 975 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA

International Journal of Information Technology & Decision Making (IJITDM), 2009, vol. 08, issue 03, 407-426

Abstract: Using high-level tasks typical of managerial decisions, this experimental study examined the influence of computer assistance on solving ill-structured problems. Of specific interest were the influences of complex and simple assistance on decision performance and decision maker attitudes. Our findings suggest that performance and user attitudes can be enhanced by technology that provides clear and simple instruction in good problem-solving practices. However, when that technology adds a complex array of technical options and features, the assistance may fail to improve or/and may even diminish performance and damage user attitudes. Familiarization with such complex technology may not improve these outcomes. The findings regarding the relationship between assistance complexity and decision performance are consistent with those of studies that suggest complexity has a curvilinear influence on performance. When considering the application of technological assistance to ill-structured decision tasks, the complexity of the assistance should not be ignored.

Keywords: End user computing; decision support systems; decision technology; complexity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wsi:ijitdm:v:08:y:2009:i:03:n:s0219622009003491

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DOI: 10.1142/S0219622009003491

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