1 ________________________________________________________________________

A DIAGNOSTIC STUDY ON

APPLICATION OF COMPUTERISED MARKETING DSS IN SELECT CORPORATE ENTERPRISES IN BANGALORE

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MBA DEGREE OF BANGALORE UNIVERSITY

BY Mr. BHARATH B. K. Register Number: 06XQCM6016

Under the guidance and supervision Of Dr. K V PRABHAKAR Senior Professor M P Birla Institute of Management Bangalore

M P BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT Associate Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Race Course Road, BANGALORE - 560001 APRIL 2008

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

2 ________________________________________________________________________

DECLARATION I, Mr. Bharath B.K. bearing the Reg. Nos.- 06XQCM6016 hereby declare that this dissertation entitled - A Diagnostic Study of the Application of Computerized Marketing DSS in select Corporate Enterprises in Bangalore is the result of my own research work carried out under the guidance and supervision of Dr. K. V. Prabhakar, Senior Professor, M P Birla Institute of Management, Bangalore. I also declare that this dissertation has not been submitted earlier to any Institute/organization for the award of any degree or diploma.

Place: Bangalore Date: (Mr. Bharath B.K.)

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

3 ________________________________________________________________________

PRINCIPALS CERTIFICATE This is to certify the project report entitled A Diagnostic Study of the Application of Computerized Marketing DSS in select Corporate Enterprises in Bangalore has been prepared by Mr. Bharath B.K. bearing the Reg. Nos. 06XQCM6016 under the guidance of Dr. K. V. Prabhakar, Senior Professor M.P.Birla Institute of Management (Associate Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan), Bangalore. This has not formed the basis for the award of any degree/ diploma or similar title by any University or Institution.

Place: Bangalore Date:

Principal (Dr. N. S. Malavalli)

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

4 ________________________________________________________________________

GUIDES CERTIFICATE This is to certify that the Project report entitled A Diagnostic Study of the Application of Computerized Marketing DSS in select Corporate Enterprises in Bangalore by BHARATH B.K. bearing Reg. No. 06XQCM6016 is a bonafide work done under my guidance during the academic year 2007-08 in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of MBA degree by Bangalore University. To the best of my knowledge this report has not formed the basis for the award of any other degree/diploma or similar title by any University/Institution.

Place: Bangalore Date:

(Dr. K.V. Prabhakar)

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

5 ________________________________________________________________________

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Dissertation is truly an enriching experience. This activity involves the immense contribution and guidance of many people. Hence I script this page to extend my sincere gratitude to all those who have always encouraged and assisted me in this endeavour. A heartfelt thank you to all my respondents, who spent their valuable time replying to my questionnaire. Dr. Nagesh. S. Malavalli, Principal, M. P. Birla Institute of Management for his constant and dedicated service to brighten our careers. Dr. K V Prabhakar, my internal guide and my professor, to whom I am deeply grateful for his constant support and guidance. I thank Priyashree S. my MENTOR for her constant support and encouragement through out my career. I thank my friend Vinay K.P. whose encouragement has made me a true management professional. My heartfelt gratitude to him. To all my faculty, friends and classmates for being a constant source of encouragement and support. To my family for always having stood by my convictions and encouraging me to perform better. Thank You. BHARATH B K

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

6 ________________________________________________________________________

CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Chapters PART A (THEORITICAL SETTING) 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background of the study. 1.2. Statement of the problem. 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1 Purpose of review. 2.2 Methodology. 2.3 Conclusion. 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Type of Research. 3.2 Sampling Technique. 3.3 Sampling size. 3.4 Instrumentation Techniques. 3.5 Actual collection of data. 3.6 Research Limitations.

Page. No
03 09 10 11 12 13 14 14 38 39 40 41 41 41 42 42

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

7 ________________________________________________________________________

PART B (SURVEY FINDINGS) 4.1. DATA ANALYSIS AND INFERENCES. PART C (CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS) 5.1. Major conclusions emerging from the study. 5.2. Specific Recommendations ANNEXURE: 1. Select bibliography including websites used. 2. Questionnaire 3. Directions for further research TABLES AND CHARTS Table 1: Awareness about MDSS tools in marketing Table 2: Level of Management Where MDSS Is Implemented Table 3: Necessity of an MDSS that is evolved out of Industry Best Practices Chart 1: Graph showing the level of awareness about MDSS tools Chart 2: Level of Management where MDSS is implemented

43 44 54 55 56 57 58 59 63

45 47

49 46 47

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

8 ________________________________________________________________________

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A decision is a reasoned choice among alternatives. Making decisions is part of the broader subject of problem solving. The decisions made by managers
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

9 ________________________________________________________________________

and knowledge workers have a great impact on corporate success. In organizations, with the availability of rich information, making decisions is the foundation for the success. Decision Support System is a computer-based system that is used by managers for decision-making. It is a set of tools, data, models and other resources that managers and analysts use to understand, evaluate and solve problems that are useful in making unanticipated semistructured and unstructured decisions. DSS can also be defined as a class of computer-based information systems designed to help managers select one of the best alternative solutions to a problem. It helps the managers in decision processes when decision-making is semi-structured, and improves the effectiveness of decision-making by giving interactive information support to managers.

The decision support system is a model based set of procedures for processing data and judgments to assist the manager in his/her decision making. In real sense a DSS is an approach/methodology for supporting the solution for a specific non-structured management problem. It makes use of data, provides an easy use interface and can incorporate the decision maker's own insights. Additionally a DSS usually makes use of an interactive process. It supports all phases of decision making and may include a knowledge component. A DSS can be web-based for use by many people at several locations. The application of DSS in the marketing domain assumes enormous significance because most of the marketing problems are ill structured and for which the algorithm are not easily available. Research Focus 1. Utility of Marketing Decision Support System
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

10 ________________________________________________________________________

An emerging trend in the realm of marketing has been the increased application of decision support system (DSS) technology to aid with decision-making. The concept of a MDSS addresses this need for decisionmaking support. Developing a sound and robust marketing strategy has never been an easy task. The success or failure of a companys marketing effort depends on the interaction of numerous internal and external factors, combined with the knowledge and intuition of the decision-makers themselves. Marketing decision-making requires a comprehensive analysis of

environment both inside and outside the firm. It requires a wide range of strategic information, including hard and soft information, and it requires managers to deal with issues that involve a high degree of uncertainty, subjectivity, and ambiguity. Marketing also involves managers intuition, judgment, and personal vision. 2. Application of DSS in strategic/tactical/operational marketing decisions The way in which marketing professional utilize DSS in taking decisions depends on whether he is a part of strategic/tactical/operational level of management. A person at strategic level needs to take unstructured decisions where it is not possible to supply most of the decision procedures that are to be followed, in advance. A person at tactical level focuses on monitoring and controlling operation and providing information to the higher levels of the organization. Here, the scope of the decision is contained within the business; the function is complex; and it has a time limit of a few days to few months. Managerial
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

11 ________________________________________________________________________

level decision-making is referred to as semi-structured decision-making because solutions and problems are clear and often require judgment and expertise for semi-structured decisions. Some procedures can be specified in advance but not to the extent where a specific recommendation can be made. A person at operational level focuses on structured decision where in the procedures to follow for a given situation can be specified in advance. At an operational level, the routine day-to-day business process occurs. Information systems at this level are designed to automate repetitive activities and improve the efficiency of business process. The decisions at this level are day-to-day, highly structured and recurring.

Our research investigation seeks to analyze how marketing professional at various level of management utilize DSS in decision making.

Research Objectives To find out the awareness of using MDSS tools in marketing. Level of management where MDSS is implemented To identify the barriers to the application of MDSS to the marketing problems

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

12 ________________________________________________________________________

To prepare a road map for the application of MDSS to the marketing problems

Research technique used The data for the study are collected both from the primary source and the secondary source. The project employs systematic, objective and quantitative Research techniques using a well structured questionnaire, which form the primary information collected. The secondary data sources are management journals and websites. Using the primary data, separate tables have been furnished under specific headings; have been analyzed with the help of descriptive analysis and percentage, and interpreted. Detailed charts have been developed showing the data obtained from the respondents, the data collected from the respondents were organized, processed and tabulated to depict the results. The sample size comprises of 30 respondents.

Major Research Findings 67% of the Respondents knew about MDSS. Around 27% of the respondents felt that MDSS would be used at the Top management level, 60% believed that MDSS is useful at Middle management level and only 13% felt it is used at the operational or lower management level.

Recommendations There is need to create awareness among the marketing professionals about the usage of MDSS for better decision making. A need for training them on

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

13 ________________________________________________________________________

such tools holds key to success of any companies marketing strategies. A need to monitor the usage of MDSS tools so as to improve it.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

14 ________________________________________________________________________

PART 'A' THEORETICAL SETTING

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

15 ________________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER-1 INTRODUCTION

1.1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY. IMPORTANCE OF DSS IN MARKETING Developments in computer industry, has made it possible that several tasks could be carried out much more easily. Automating the collection and analysis of marketing information would result in timely marketing and sales decisions and their quality would be largely improved. Later on information
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

16 ________________________________________________________________________

technology also facilitated the automation of the sales and marketing support in a Management Information System. This would lead to improved efficiency of the marketing and sales staff. Hardware and software costs continually decrease and the computer programs become more and more powerful. Its main barriers such as computer power (for PCs) and software compatibility have largely disappeared. However, does information technology provide the required return on investment? Which added value has been created by this new technology? Realizing the advantages of a DSS is difficult. Substantial productivity benefits such as cost reductions can be properly measured. It is evident that the use of a DSS also has soft benefits. For example, it is reasonable to assume that this marketing tool is able to make more effective and better founded decisions, because marketers have information to their disposal that is more recent, more comprehensive and more reliable. The importance of information in commercial processes is largely recognized. Unanswered remains the question to what extent information provided by the DSS can improve a marketers performance.

1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.

Are Computerized Decision Support Systems helping marketers in their decision-making apparatus?

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

17 ________________________________________________________________________

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

18 ________________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER-2 REVIEW OF LITERATURE.

2.1 PURPOSE OF REVIEW. The purpose of literature review is to explore the historical and current scenarios in Computerized Decision Support Systems. The literature survey is done to understand what is a DSS? To understand the different levels of decision making in an organization. To understand the conceptual framework of a Decision Support System, understand the various decision
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

19 ________________________________________________________________________

models and the architecture of Decision Support Systems. Over and above, the purpose of the literature review is to understand in totality the foundation of the research problem. 2.2 METHODOLOGY. The Book DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM in the 21st Century by George M. Marakas has been referred to understand the above mentioned concepts and is presented below. 2.2.1 INTRODUCTION A decision is a reasoned choice among alternatives. Making decisions is part of the broader subject of problem solving. The decisions made by managers and knowledge workers have a great impact on corporate success. In organizations, with the availability of rich information, making decisions is the foundation for the success. Decision Support System is a computer-based system that is used by managers for decision-making. It is a set of tools, data, models and other resources that managers and analysts use to understand, evaluate and solve problems that are useful in making unanticipated semistructured and unstructured decisions. DSS can also be defined as a class of computer-based information systems designed to help managers select one of the best alternative solutions to a problem. It helps the managers in decision processes when decision-making is semi-structured, and improves the effectiveness of decision-making by giving interactive information support to managers.

A majority of DSS research is focused on the application of new technology to managerial tasks at the operational and tactical levels. Though DSS is
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

20 ________________________________________________________________________

used to solve semi-structured problems at all levels of an organization, resources are deployed or structured at any given moment. DSS provides support to the selection process and allows managers who are directly responsible for the outcome to make the final selection.

DSS helps in making the organization more effective by giving it a competitive advantage. In today's environment, managers will be empowered to make their own decisions based on the organized feedback from peers, customers or from top management and hence knowledge-based organizations depend heavily on the computer-based DSS. It clearly offers management a powerful tool in meeting demands of managerial work. They are also known as business intelligence systems or analytics.

DSS helps human decision-making performance and problem solving by enabling the users to examine alternative solutions using the `what if ' analysis. This analysis helps to make changes to the data associated with a problem and observe how these changes influence the results.

2.2.2 DECISION - MAKING LEVELS OF AN ORGANIZATION Each level of an organization has different responsibilities and therefore needs different information. Structured Decisions These decisions involve situations where proper structuring of the procedure to be followed when a decision is needed can be specified in advance. At an

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

21 ________________________________________________________________________

operational level, the routine day-to-day business process occurs. Information systems at this level are designed to automate repetitive activities and improve the efficiency of business process. The decisions at this level are day-to-day, highly structured and recurring. Structured decision are those in which the procedures to follow for a given situation can be specified in advance. Semi-structured Decisions Some decisions can be pre-specified but they are not bad for a definite recommended action. At the managerial level of the organization, the functional managers focus on monitoring and controlling operation actuaries and providing information to the higher levels of the organization. Here, the scope of the decision is contained within the business; the function is complex; and it has a time limit of a few days to few months. Managerial level decision-making is referred to as semi-structured decision-making because solutions and problems are clear and often require judgment and expertise for semi-structured decisions. Some procedures can be specified in advance but not to the extent where a specific recommendation can be made.

Unstructured Decisions These decisions involve situations where it is not possible to supply most of the decision procedures that are to be followed, in advance. At the executive level of the organization, managers focus on long term strategic issues facing the organization. Managers at this level are the CEO, President, Vicepresident and the Board of Directors. This level deals with complex problems with broad and long-term requirements of the organization. The
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

22 ________________________________________________________________________

decisions here are unstructured because the problems are complex and nonroutine. For unstructured decisions, few or no procedure can be specified in advance.

A highly structured decision includes easily determined objectives that are not subject to conflict, are clearly defined, or those selecting alternative courses of action and ascertainable outcomes. In a highly unstructured decision, the objectives of the situation often conflict, the alternatives available to the decision-maker are difficult to implement and the effect of a particular course of action or selection of an alternative carries with it a high degree of uncertainty. The decisions at three levels of organization are as follows: Decision-makers at the strategic level require the more summarized ad hoc unscheduled reports, forecast and internal intelligence to support their unstructured planning. The strategic decision is one which will affect the entire organization for a long period of time. They affect organizational objectives and policies. Data are generally in the unstructured form. It is necessary for a firm to develop successful decision strategies to confront in order to survive and succeed. In the long run, these strategies force the shape and the structure of competition in the industry, in addition to cost leadership, differentiation, innovation growth and alliance. There are many other competitive strategies that are implemented with information systems. It attempts to use the information system in customer and supplier relation systems. In a customer and supplier relationship, the focus is on significantly improving the quality of service to customer and suppliers in a firms actuaries. A major emphasis on Strategic Information System (SIS) has been

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

23 ________________________________________________________________________

to find ways to build switching costs into the relationships between a firm and its customers or suppliers.

The primary objective of strategic managers is to maximize the value delivered to all the enterprise's stakeholders. This objective is accomplished by establishing and maintaining a unifying vision and strategic direction. The conflicting objectives of asset managers and value chain managers must be reconciled. Competitive advantage must be identified and exploited for the enterprise to win and grow (Reid et al., 1996). To support the competitive position of the enterprise, the following strategic management processes are operated (Reid et al., 1996): 1. Provide situational awareness-both internal and external 2. Facilitate decision-making 3. Develop and deploy plans-at both strategic and operational performance levels 4. Manage enterprise performance 5. Establish the required performance management infrastructure. This activity is generally performed only for a particular enterprise. 6. Monitor performance 7. Communicate performance 8. Evaluate performance 9. Improve performance Two important factors determine strategic planning decisions: Time and Uncertainty. This has led to recent investigation of Strategic Planning models that enable the decision-maker to adopt strategic policies which hedge against uncertainty, and respond to events as they unfold in time.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

24 ________________________________________________________________________

Decision-makers at the operational level require specified internal reports with detailed current and historical data comparisons. A tactical decision will affect the manner in which a part of organization does business for a limited period of time in the future. These decisions are made by middle managers to determine how an entire category of future decisions will be taken. An operational decision is one that affects a particular activity currently taking place in the organization. These decisions relate to activities whose tasks, goals, and resources have already been defined by strategic and tactical decisions.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

25 ________________________________________________________________________

2.2.3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM

A decision support system is a computer based procedure that allows a manager to directly interact with data using various methods of analysis to integrate, and analyze and interpret information; The heart and soul of DSS is datadifferent types of data from a wide variety of sources. Decision Support Systems couple the intellectual resources of individuals with the capabilities of the computer to improve the quality of decisions. Typically, a DSS contains data describing the market, consumers competitors, economic and social trends and the organization performance. The DSS has methods for analyzing data. These methods range from simple procedure such as computing ratios to drawing graphs to sophisticated statistical techniques and mathematical models. By combining personal computers and userfriendly software, the DSS allows managers to independently retrieve data, examining the relationships, and even create unique reports to meet their specific needs. The DSS clearly offers management a powerful tool and is rapidly becoming an integral component of managerial work. The speed with which todays information becomes yesterdays news continues to increase at a staggering rate. The leveraging of technology that will allow the manager to be effective in such a high speed environment is what decision support all about. DSS is expected to extend the decision makers capacity of processing the mountain of information involved in making a decision.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

26 ________________________________________________________________________

The following chart describes the simple mechanism of DSS:

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

27 ________________________________________________________________________

Common DSS Characteristics 1. Employed in semi structured or unstructured decision context 2. Intended to support decision makers 3. Supports all phases of the decision-making process 4. Focuses on the effectiveness of the decision making process 5. Utilizes underlying data and models 6. Facilitates learning on the part of the decision maker 7. Provides support for all levels of management from top executives to line managers 8. Can support for multiple or interdependent decisions

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

28 ________________________________________________________________________

ADVANTAGES OF DSS USAGE Various authors have investigated the assumed benefits of Decision Support Systems. 1. Administrative advantages (time and labor savings), 2. More efficient use of management time, 3. Better decision making, handling more complex problems, 4. Better judgment of problems, superior trust in decisionmaking, 5. Better data usage (recency, accuracy, access and availability), 6. Better planning and control, 7. Possibility to research more alternatives, 8. Communication advantage. Thus DSS is a truly dynamic system that requires knowledge beyond that of the Typical Information System professional. The decision makers of tomorrow will rely on this technology to support their daily activities and to assist them in managing the ever-growing knowledge base necessary to make informed and effective decisions.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

29 ________________________________________________________________________

2.2.4 DECISION MODELS Decision models can be classified into a number of ways. One common high-level classification divides the models in terms of their explicit inclusion of time as an element. Models that do not explicitly acknowledge time are called static models and those that do are referred to as dynamic models. Another widespread method of classification is by technique or logical focus. Abstract Model Types: An abstract model focuses on the mathematical precision with which various outcomes can be predicted. Theoretically, this type of model can determine which alternative should result in the most favorable outcome. Based on this prediction, a decision-maker then develops a strategy for implementing the proposed alternative and thus solves the problem. Deterministic Models: In the deterministic model, no variable can take more than one value at any given time. The same output value will always result from any given set of input variables. Most of the traditional models of the normative economic theory are deterministic as are many of the common models used in financial analysis. These model types are particularly useful when a problem structure contains a large number of elements and complex relationships. Common deterministic models include linear programming, nonlinear programming, and differential equations.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

30 ________________________________________________________________________

Stochastic Models: In a stochastic model, at least one of the variables is uncertain and must be described by some probability function. These model types are often referred to as probabilistic models because they explicitly incorporate uncertainty into their structure. When constructing a stochastic model, the decisionmaker distributes the input value of one or more variables around some mean value and the output variables take the form of a frequency distribution rather than a discrete set of value. Domain-specific Models: The advances in the science disciplines prompt the need for highly specific types of decision-making techniques and contexts. In these cases, each discipline develops its own set of abstract mathematical modeling techniques to serve its needs. Models of supply and demand are unique to the toolbox of economists. Other well-known domains such as operations research, sociology, medicine and meteorology rely on their own unique abstract modeling techniques. In the design of DSS for a specific problem domain, the designer must be aware of any domain specific models available for inclusion in the model base. Conceptual Models Conceptual models can be identified as analogies to the problem in context. Implicit in this perspective is the notion that even though all problems are unique, no problem is completely new. Experience from a past problem can be used to assist in forecasting events and outcomes in the new context. Using this method, decision-makers can recall and combine a variety of past experiences and contexts to create an accurate conceptual model of the
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

31 ________________________________________________________________________

current situation and to assign probabilities to those event components that remain uncertain. Tools and Technologies of DSS Decision Support System includes many key terms the meaning of which helps us to get a good result. Extraction, Transformation, and Loading (ETL) During the ETL (Extraction, Transformation, and Loading) process, the desired data is identified and extracted from many different sources, including database systems and applications. Depending on the source system's capabilities (e.g., operating system resources), some

transformations may take place during this extraction process. After extracting data, it has to be physically transported to the target system or an intermediate system for further processing. Depending on the chosen way of transportation, some transformations can be done during this process, too. For example, an Structured Query Language (SQL) statement, which directly accesses a remote target through a gateway, can concatenate two columns as part of the SELECT statement; this leads the manager to take a particular decision. Online Analytical Processing (OLAP) Online Analytical Processing is a significant improvement of the modelbased management, which manipulates data from a variety of sources that has been stored in a static data warehouse. The software can cause various views and representations of the data and this helps in making the context explicit. OLAP can pull the data, create pictures and make the user see the model running. It creates various models and helps in finding out the best. It
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

32 ________________________________________________________________________

allows the users to analyze information that has been summarized into multidimensional views and hierarchies. Relational Online Analytical Processing (ROLAP) When we need to handle large data and try to leverage functionalities inherent in the relational database, we need Relational Online Analytical Processing. This methodology relies on manipulating the data stored in the relational database to give the appearance of the traditional OLAP's slicing and dicing functionality. In essence, each action of slicing and dicing is equivalent to adding a `WHERE' clause in the SQL statement. Multidimensional Online Analytical Processing (MOLAP) This is the more traditional way of OLAP analysis. In MOLAP, data is stored in a multidimensional cube. It effects excellent performance and can perform complex calculations. In a Management Decision Support system, managers need to look into the summary rather than the detail report. Hybrid Online Analytical Processing (HOLAP) technologies attempt to combine the advantages of MOLAP and ROLAP. For summary-type information, HOLAP leverages cube technology for faster performance. When detail information is needed, HOLAP can "drill through" from the cube into the underlying relational data. Web based DSS deliver decision support information or decision support tools to a manager or business analyst using a "thin-client" Web browser like Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer that is accessing the global Internet or a corporate intranet. Web-based DSS can be communications-driven, data-driven, document-driven, knowledgedriven, model-driven or hybrid. Web technologies can be used to implement any category or type of DSS. Web-based means the entire application is
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

33 ________________________________________________________________________

implemented using Web technologies; Web-enabled means key parts of an application like a database remain on a legacy system, but the application can be accessed from a Web-based component and displayed in a browser. Using a web infrastructure for building DSS improves the rapid dissemination of the best practices analysis and decision-making framework and it should promote more consistent decision-making on repetitive decision tasks across a geographically distributed organization. Data Warehouse Data Warehouse is a collection of integrated, subject oriented databases designed to support DSS function, where each unit of data is non-volatile and relevant. Data Warehouse is a batch updated and structured for rapid online queries and management solutions. So it has become an important component in DSS. DW contains a large amount of data that are subjectoriented, integrated, and time-variant as well as a huge stable collection of data that supports the decision-making process of managers. Dialogue Management This refers to the hardware and software components that create the user interface for the DSS. Software support for dialogue is in terms of packages that can be accessed via high-end languages and is used to construct user interface and data definition language, which describes the dialogue component of DSS architecture. It also focuses on command language and menu dialogues that create a restrictive context for building DSS.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

34 ________________________________________________________________________

Database Management DBM (Database Management System) is a key component of DSS because it reduces the cost of building and using DSS, by increasing data control and sharing and reducing data redundancy. There are five different data models for the database component of DSS: Record, relational, hierarchical, network and rule model. The record of flat file model is common in DSS that uses time series data. DSS database ware is limited in scope and definitely not integrated because of the problems with data processing efficiency and storage overload that degrade the performance. Model Base Management The modeling component gives decision-makers the ability to analyze the problem and moves a Management Information System (MIS) to full DSS.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

35 ________________________________________________________________________

2.2.5 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE DSS Architecture

DSS architecture refers to the mechanism and structure for the integration of the dialogue, database and model management components of a DSS. There are four types of architectures for building and integrating the DSS software system: The DSS Network, with multiple dialogue, modeling and database components that can communicate with each other through a component interface; the DSS Bridge, which provides a standard interface with local dialogue and modeling components that link to remote modeling and database components; the DSS Sandwich, which integrates multiple modeling components by using single dialogue and database components; and the DSS Tower, where data extraction is used to integrate diverse database components and other components are similar to the network architecture.
M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

36 ________________________________________________________________________

Components of DSS The components of DSS include Management Decision Support System, Management Information System, Executive Information System, File Drawer System and Knowledge Management. DSS is a competitive knowledge-rich world in which managers take decisions about what to do with their organizations' resources. Large number of decisions are made every day and range from those that are simple to those that are very complex. Every one of these decisions involves the use of knowledge of varying kinds and amounts, and many of them can benefit from (or even require) the use of a component known as Knowledge Management. Knowledge management is the basis of any decision-making process. First, one should know which information should be put where and how to manage them. Preparing a databank from information is a part of knowledge management. DSS basically starts from creating a correct and proper database. So, the first component for any DSS is knowledge management. From databases, executives draw the information they need in a refined way. The process of raw data converting to useful information for the executives is known as EIS (Executive Information Systems). EIS is there to support the senior management. It helps organizations to enhance their knowledge processing and their ability to learn and adapt. EIS enables the use of interactive information exchanges by access to electronic networks. It can provide quantitative diagnostics to monitor the progress of decisions. In terms of organizational impact, EIS can improve the managerial decision-making process because it naturally will support, or create pressure for, a formal planning system, for it is known that an

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

37 ________________________________________________________________________

advantage of formal planning is that it fosters lateral communication, formal reporting, and rationality. When information passes from executives to the managers, it is already a refined one. But to make decisions more simple and result-oriented, middle level managers tune them to fine information. This process is called as MIS (Management Information System). After going to MIS, top level managers use the DSS components and take the final decision, which is known as management decision support system. With the tools, technology, models and components of DSS, today it is essential to capture the trend of outsourcing.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

38 ________________________________________________________________________

2.2.6

GAINING

COMPETITIVE

ADVANTAGE

WITH

COMPUTERIZED DECISION SUPPORT Many companies have isolated decision support capabilities that are hard to use or hard to access. For example, a data mart may have been built for accessing customer data, a project management system may exist for tracking large-scale projects, or Excel analyses may be routinely used in a specific business decision process. In general, managers are experiencing information overload and are having difficulty finding the right information when it is needed. Potentially, innovative Decision Support Systems can yield competitive advantage for an organization or at least maintain an organizations competitive position. Evidence indicates managers can now use sophisticated data-driven and document-driven DSSs to obtain information that was buried for many years in filing cabinets or archived on computer storage systems. Model-driven DSSs can reduce waste in production operations and improve inventory management. Knowledge-driven DSSs can help managers evaluate employees or help technical staff diagnose problems. Communicationsdriven DSSs can support teams working all over the world. Interorganizational DSSs can support a companys suppliers and customers. Real-time decision support systems are now possible for tactical decision support. A decision support system creates a competitive advantage if three criteria are met. First, once the DSS is implemented, it must be used and it must become a major or significant strength or capability of the organization.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

39 ________________________________________________________________________

Second, the DSS must be unique and proprietary to the organization. Third, the advantage provided by the DSS must be sustainable until an adequate payback is received, usually at least three years. Managers who are searching for strategic investments in information technology need to keep these three criteria in mind. Just because a vendor says a product will create a competitive advantage doesnt make the claim true. A competitive advantage means an organization does something important much better than its competitors. The widespread use of computer technology has changed the way companies do business. Information technology has altered relationships between companies and their suppliers, customers and rivals. Porter and Millar (1985) discuss two specific ways that information technology can affect competition: by altering industry structures and by supporting cost and/or differentiation strategies. A common approach used to identify opportunities to change the structure and profitability of an industry is to examine five competitive forces. Michael Porter (1979) argued that the power of buyers, the power of suppliers, the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitute products and the rivalry among existing competitors determines the profitability of an industry. How a company uses information technology can affect each of the five competitive forces and can create the need and opportunity for change. For example, information technology has altered the bargaining relationships between companies and their suppliers, channels and buyers. Today it is easy for information systems to cross company boundaries. These inter-organizational systems have become common and, in some instances, they have changed the boundaries of the participating industries. Decision support systems can reduce the power of buyers and

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

40 ________________________________________________________________________

suppliers. Decision support systems can erect new barriers that reduce the threat of entrants. Decision support systems can help differentiate products and services and reduce the threat from substitutes. Also, decision support systems can help managers reduce the cost of rivalry actions and, in some cases, reduce the need for competitive actions and reactions. Decision support systems can potentially help a firm create a cost advantage. Decision support systems can provide many benefits including improving personal efficiency and reducing staff needs, expediting problem solving and increasing organizational control. Managers who want to create a cost advantage should search for situations where decision processes seem slow or tedious and where problems reoccur or solutions are delayed or unsatisfactory. In some cases, DSSs can reduce costs where decision makers have high turnover and training is slow and cumbersome, and in situations where activities, departments and projects are poorly controlled. Also, DSSs can create a major cost advantage by increasing efficiency or eliminating value chain activities. For example, a bank or mortgage loan firm may reduce costs by using a new DSS to consolidate the number of steps and minimize the number of staff hours needed to approve loans. Technology breakthroughs can sometimes continue to lower process costs, and rivals who imitate an innovative DSS may nullify or remove any advantage. Decision support systems can potentially create a differentiation advantage. Providing a DSS to customers can differentiate a product and possibly provide a new service. Differentiation increases profitability when the price premium charged is greater than any added costs associated with achieving

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

41 ________________________________________________________________________

the differentiation. Successful differentiation means a firm can charge a premium price, and/or sell more units, and/or increase buyer loyalty for service or repeat purchases. In some situations, competitors can rapidly imitate the differentiation, and then all competitors incur increased costs for implementing the DSS. Finally, decision support systems can be used to help a company better focus on a specific customer segment and hence gain an advantage in meeting that segments needs. Management information systems and decision support systems can help track customers, and DSSs can make it easier to serve a specialized customer group with special services. Some customers wont pay a premium for targeted service, and larger competitors also target specialized niches using their own DSSs. It is important to recognize that some firms have no competitive advantage. Firms can achieve a competitive advantage by making strategic changes, and firms can lose a competitive advantage when competitors make strategic changes. Implementing computerized decision support does not necessarily create a competitive advantage. In fact, most decision support does not have such a broad enterprise-wide impact. Decision support systems can be important and useful and very necessary, and yet not provide a competitive advantage. Many consulting firms and vendors focus on gaining competitive advantage from a data warehouse or a business intelligence system, and that can happen. Many DSS projects do not, however, deliver such results and the projects probably were not intended to create competitive advantage.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

42 ________________________________________________________________________

A study identified a number of companies that had gained an advantage from information systems. Some of those systems were decision support systems, but most were transaction processing systems. The following DSS examples are from their paper: Air Products, a vehicle scheduling system; Cigna, a risk assessment system; IBM, a marketing management system; Owens-Corning, a materials selection system; and Procter & Gamble, a customer response system. Most companies wisely do not provide many details on their success with computerized decision support. Competitive responses and technology have had a negative impact on how some of the aforementioned systems are perceived today. If a company is trying to develop a decision support system that provides a competitive advantage, managers and analysts should ask how the proposed DSS affects company costs, customer and supplier relations, and managerial effectiveness. Managers should also attempt to assess how the proposed strategic system will impact the structure of the industry and the behavior of competitors. Finally, companies must continuously improve their

information and decision support technology to gain and maintain any competitive advantage.

Harbridge House (a Boston Firm) has conducted a survey and ranked clearcut decisions needed as the most important of 10 management practices. As the trends are changing, it is very difficult to rely upon trial and error approach to management; in case of decision is unstructured/illstructured/semi-structured decision making situations. Managers must learn

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

43 ________________________________________________________________________

sophisticated new tools and techniques. Using these technological tools, its extremely rewarding in making effective decision 2.3 CONCLUSION. Thus from the literature survey conducted, a good understanding of DSS model, advantages of DSS and Competitive Advantage of using have been understood.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

44 ________________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER-3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

45 ________________________________________________________________________

3.1 TYPE OF RESEARCH. Our research investigation adopted a systematic, objective and quantitative research techniques using a well-structured questionnaire. The questionnaire is designed keeping in mind the various features offered by DSS. The

research investigation is restricted to the various marketing managers and business development mangers in the Bangalore. The primary data was collected using a well structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was meant to know the knowledge of DSS of the managers. The level at which they had been exposed to the Decision Support System. There are three alternative types of evaluation procedures for DSS performance: subjective judgment, expert observation and objective measurement. A subjective judgment requests from users to assess their experiences. In most cases this means that a user has to fill out a questionnaire. Expert observation also uses a subjective judgment, however in this case of non-participating observers and experts in the field of DSS to judge DSS users. Objective measurement is usually related to empirical experiments and comparison. Objective, empirical measurement is considered as the most reliable and consequently most preferred way to acquire data. Unfortunately, this is a very expensive method and in practice it is often selected for expert observation and subjective judgment. In representing the results of the investigations to DSS performance, in each case we will report the method used. This will enable the reader to estimate such a method at its true value.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

46 ________________________________________________________________________

3.2 SAMPLING TECHNIQUE POPULATION: The information is generated from the marketers whose company implements DSS in various operations in Bangalore. SAMPLING UNIT: Marketers are selected from the companies in Bangalore. SAMPLING METHOD: The selection of Marketers is non-probability (convenience). 3.3 SAMPLE SIZE: 30 Marketers from various companies in Bangalore were chosen and interviewed. The number of corporate entities choosen for this purpose is 12 ( twelve). These include Banks, FMCG companies, Industrial Marketing Companies and IT Companies.

3.4 INSTRUMENTATION TECHNIQUES. QUESTIONNAIRE: The research instrument used here is a questionnaire, which helped us to generate the database adequately. The questionnaire has close-ended questions, as the study is very specific.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

47 ________________________________________________________________________

3.5 ACTUAL COLLECTION OF DATA. A. SECONDARY DATA: Secondary data is gathered from numerous sources. A tedious and timeconsuming library research gave desired information. The secondary data is collected from the internal research, such as journals and internet. B. PRIMARY DATA: Survey research: Questionnaire has been used to gather data. Survey has been designed to capture wide variety of information. This research has helped to identify the satisfaction levels of the Marketers in using DSS tools. It has also helped to learn about the awareness and expectations of the marketers and also answered an important question Do you think MDSS tools can help you in taking better decisions which would hence increase the productivity of the company?

3.6 RESEARCH LIMITATIONS: Time and resource constraints Effective decision making is dependent on several other factors like environmental factors which we have not considered due to lack of time and resources

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

48 ________________________________________________________________________

PART B SURVEY FINDINGS

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

49 ________________________________________________________________________

DATA ANALYSIS AND INFERENCES

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

50 ________________________________________________________________________

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 1:

To find out the awareness of using MDSS tools in marketing

Table 1: AWARENESS ABOUT MDSS TOOLS IN MARKETING

Sl. Nos. 1 2

Level of Awareness YES NO TOTAL

Respondents 29 11 30

Percentage(%) 67 33 100

Source: Field Investigation

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

51 ________________________________________________________________________

Chart 1: CHART SHOWING THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS ABOUT MDSS TOOLS

AWARENESS LEVEL OF MDSS TOOLS

NO 33% YES NO YES 67%

Inference: This table is designed to identify the awareness of MDSS tools in marketing domain. a) 67% of the respondents are aware of the MDSS tools. b) 33% of the respondents are unaware of the MDSS tools.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

52 ________________________________________________________________________

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 2: TABLE 2: LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT WHERE MDSS IS IMPLEMENTED PERCENTAGE (%) 26.67 60 13.33 100.00

SL.NO. LEVEL OF MGMT RESPONDENTS 1 STRATEGIC 8 2 TACTICAL 18 3 OPERATIONAL 4 TOTAL 30

Source: Field Investigation

CHART 2: LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT WHERE MDSS IS IMPLEMENTED

LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT WHERE MDSS IS IMPLEMENTED

60 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 RESPONDENTS PERCENTAGE (%) STRATEGIC 8 26.67 TACTICAL 18 60 8 26.67 18 4 OPERATIONAL 4 13.33 13.33

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

53 ________________________________________________________________________

Inference: This table is designed to identify various levels of management where MDSS are implemented. a) 26.67% of respondents use MDSS tools in strategic level b) 60% of respondents use MDSS tools in tactical level c) 13.33% of respondents use MDSS tools in operational level.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

54 ________________________________________________________________________

TABLE 3 NECESSITY OF AN MDSS THAT IS EVOLVED OUT OF INDUSTRY BEST PRACTICES

SL NO. OPTION 1 YES 2 NO TOTAL

RESPONDENTS 18 12 30

PERCENTAGE (%) 60 40 100

Source: Field Investigation Inference: The above table identifies the need for MDSS to be evolved out of the industry best practices a) 60% of the respondents felt that it would be better if the MDSS is evolved out Industry Best Practices. b) However 40% of the respondents felt there was no need for such thought.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

55 ________________________________________________________________________

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE 3: To identify whether MDSS helps the marketers in making better decisions this would increase the productivity of the company. Null Hypothesis:
H0: DSS cannot find total solutions to the marketing problems

Alternate Hypothesis:
H1: DSS can find total solutions to the marketing problems

Test Statistics used here is Z-test Formula Z = | P Ps | _________ (P*Q)/N P -> Assumed population mean Ps -> sample population Q = 1-P N -> Total number of samples

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

56 ________________________________________________________________________

Do you think MDSS tools can help you in taking better decisions which would increase the productivity of the company?
Number of Respondents who said YES: 19 (nineteen only) Number of respondents who said NO: 11 (eleven only) Assumption: Population Mean = .5 Calculations: N = 30 Ps Sample population = 19 / 30 = .634 P = .5 Q = 1-.5 = .5 Test statistics = Z = | P Ps | ________ (P*Q)/N Z = | .5 - .634 | ________ (.5*.5)/30 Tabulated value for 95% level of significance is 1.96 Calculated value = 1.472 Cal value < tabulated value, Hence we reject Ho = .134/.091 = 1.472

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

57 ________________________________________________________________________

INFERENCE: Since calculated value is less than tabulated value we reject our null hypothesis and accept the alternate hypothesis. Hence we conclude there is significant difference in the productivity of the company after implementing MDSS. Hence we can conclude that

DSS can find total solutions to the marketing problems.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

58 ________________________________________________________________________

PART C CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

59 ________________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

60 ________________________________________________________________________

5.1. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS EMERGING FROM THE STUDY

1. Most of the respondents have an average awareness about the MDSS tools. 2. It is found that implementation of DSS system in marketing domain helps in taking better decisions for the marketers which would lead to increase in productivity of the company. 3. On an average MDSS tools have been extensively used in operational level. 4. Most of the respondents have found DSS tools as user-friendly.

The type of marketing problem can be subdivided into strategic, technical and operational problems. Action strategy of the company in terms of user friendliness, flexibility has a pronounced effect on the success of DSS. The use of a DSS by a marketer reduces his time to come to a decision. As far as the effectiveness of DSS usage by marketers is concerned DSS usage implies that various alternatives are taken into account and evaluated and, consequently, a better decision is made. We can also conclude that DSS is required mostly in operational level and helps the marketers in taking better marketing decision. Apart from the characteristics User friendliness, Marketers rate the DSS tools on their flexibility, reliability, and response time and data storage capacity.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

61 ________________________________________________________________________

5.2. SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Create awareness among the Marketers about the DSS tools which would help them in making better decisions. 2. Give training in the DSS tools which would make it more user friendly and hence would reduce time and increase speed. 3. Monitor the working of the tools performance and effectiveness which would help in improving the performance. Implementation of an information system does not automatically lead to an increase of the performance of the decision-maker. The performance depends on a number of factors: 1. The marketing decision-maker or the characteristics of the Individual 2. The DSS 3. The type of marketing problem 4. The environment 5. Organizational characteristics 6. The action strategies of the enterprise.

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

62 ________________________________________________________________________

ANNEXURE

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

63 ________________________________________________________________________

1. SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

(a) Books
1. Decision Support Systems in the 21st Century by George M. Marakas, Prentice-Hall of India Publication, 2nd Edition, 2003.

2. MDSS Principles, Tools and Implementation, Gary L Lilien; Arvind Rangaswamy; Gerrit H Van Bruggen; Katrin Starke, Information Systems Research; Sep 2004

3. Database Systems Design, Implementation & Management by Bob Coronel, Thomas Course Technology publications, 2006

4. Decision Support Systems & Intelligence Systems by Efrain Turban and Jay E Aronson, PHI Publications, 2007

5. Data Analysis, Data Modeling & Classification, by Modell Martin, McGraw Hill Publications 2000 (b) Websites

1. www.mdssworld.com/ 2. www.mdss.com 3. www.mdss.net 4. www.rbac.com/methods/mdss.htm

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

64 ________________________________________________________________________

2. QUESTIONNAIRE
Sir/Madam, I, Mr.Bharath B K, am conducting research on Computerized Marketing Decision System. The research survey is a sequel to project report/dissertation required in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Master of Business Administration. In this connection, I need some information from you. Below is the questionnaire on the various facets of Computerized Marketing Decision System. Kindly give your valuable responses to the questions thereon. I humbly assure you that your responses will be kept confidential and shall only be used for academic purpose. Mr.Bharath B K

1) Are you aware of the concept of MDSS (Marketing decision support system) Tools used in the marketing? a) Yes b) No

2) Does your company utilize technical tools for decision making? a) Yes b) No

3) Please choose the Level of Management where MDSS s implemented: a) Top Level Manager/Strategic Level b) Middle Level Manager/Tactical Level c) Low Level Manager/Operational Level

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

65 ________________________________________________________________________

4) Do you think MDSS tools can help you in taking better decisions which would enhance the productivity of the company? a) Yes b) No

If no, Please state the reasons:

5) Does DSS match the Human Intuitive Nature and Analytical Ability in Decision Making? a) Yes b) No

6) Please mention the decision support tools you use in marketing?

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

66 ________________________________________________________________________

7) How do you take Decisions? a) Based on Gut Feel (Random Decision Making) b) Intuitive Decision making (Predictive Decision Making) c) Based on computer generated results/ reports d) Mix of the above mentioned options

8) Do you find the necessity of an MDSS that is evolved out of Industry best Practices? a) Yes b) No

9) How important are the following factors in determining the efficiency of an MDSS? Rate on a scale of 1-5 LOW 1 2 3 4 HIGH 5

a) User friendliness 1 2 3 4 5

b) Flexibility 1 2 3 4 5

c) Response Time 1 2 3 4 5

d) Data storage capacity 1 2 3 4 5

e) Reliability 1 2 3 4 5

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

67 ________________________________________________________________________

10) On a scale of ten, rate these MDSS TOOL expectations/perceptions: 1. Increase speed. 2. Increases marketers productivity. 3. Increases control of sales process. 4. Reduces marketing costs. 5. Increases customer satisfaction. 6. Better Documentation.

11) What are the limitations of MDSS tools? Check the appropriate one.

1. Expensive 2. Making a perfect tool mix 3. Learning Curve 4. Lack of awareness 5. Others 6. (please mention). .... 12. If your company is already using MDSS, Please state your experiences with the usage of MDSS:

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

68 ________________________________________________________________________

THANK YOU FOR SPARING YOUR VALUABLE TIME IN GIVING THE RESPONSES. I SHALL GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR COOPERATION IN THIS REGARD. Mr. Bharath B K

3. DIRECTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH The above study has taken into consideration marketing managers and business development managers of various companies like Banks, FMCG, IT, Industrial marketing. 1. The interested researchers can conduct a detailed survey as to how the MDSS is helping, considering the above mentioned sectors individually. They can obtain a rationale as how each sector uses MDSS individually. 2. A research w.r.t the cost-benefit analysis of implementation of MDSS can be conducted

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT

69 ________________________________________________________________________

M.P.BIRLA INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT