Alternative report format effects of a decision support system

This dissertation examined the influence of report format on decision support system use and performance. The major independent variable, report format, was operationalized as either menu driven or fixed report. The major dependent variable was a qualitative measure of performance. The influence of cognitive style on decision making performance was a part of the study.

A business simulation game and its accompanying interactive decision support system provided the experimental environment. Eighty-five undergraduate senior business majors enrolled in a capstone course participated in the study as a part of the course. Subjects were organized as teams making decisions in simulated industries. The subjects were exposed to two different industries of the game over a five week period. Subjects initially made four sets of "practice" decisions to acquaint themselves with the simulation and the decision support system. The analytic results of the dissertation were based on the subjects performance in seven subsequent "official" decisions. The primary subject motivation was the basing of a large portion of the student's course grade on performance in the simulation.