Deck 1: Introduction to Decision Support Systems

Question 1

The role of a DSS is to provide support to the decision-maker during the process of making a decision.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

A DSS is used only for unstructured decisions.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The purpose of a DSS is to replace the decision maker.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The DSS should always be under the ultimate control of the user.

Question 5

A DSS facilitates learning on the part of the decision maker.

Question 6

The most powerful classification of DSSs is the Universal DSS.

Question 7

A DSS is normally designed to be wide in its scope of application.

Question 8

A highly unstructured decision is one where the objectives of the situation are often conflicting, the alternatives available to the decision maker are difficult to isolate or determine, and the effect of a particular course of action or selection of an alternative carries with it a high degree of uncertainty.

Question 9

The user interface of a DSS performs activities related to problem recognition and generation of interim or final solutions.

Question 10

The data management component of a DSS is where the activities associated with the retrieval, storage and organization of the relevant data for the particular decision context are managed.

Question 11

The data management component of a DSS is responsible for maintaining the logical independence of the data.

Question 12

The model library stores and manages all solver algorithms within a DSS.

Question 13

Model acquisition is the process by which new information is derived from a combination of existing or previously derived information.

Question 14

Rules, heuristics and constraints are stored within a knowledge base of a DSS.

Question 15

A model is a simplification of some event or process constructed for the purpose of studying the phenomenon and thus developing a better understanding of it.

Question 16

Internal data normally comes from an organization's transaction processing systems as a normal course of conducting the daily affairs of the organization.

Question 17

Knowledge engineers are specially trained to interact with domain experts for the purposes of acquiring all of the knowledge the expert has in a particular domain and all of the relationships among that knowledge.

Question 18

The model base contains the various statistical, financial, mathematical, and other quantitative models used in performing the variety of analytical capabilities in a DSS.

Question 19

Silver proposed a method of DSS classification based upon the attributes of the problem-solving context.

Question 20

Hypertext systems are useful for knowledge bases that are document based.

Question 21

The realization of the benefits to be derived from using a DSS is dependent upon which of the following?

A) The decision maker
B) The context of the decision
C) The design of the DSS
D) All of the above.

Question 22

Which of the following contributed to the development of the concept of decision support systems?

A) J.P. Little
B) Gorry
C) Scott Morton
D) All of the above.

Question 23

Limitations of a DSS include which of the following?

A) They cannot be designed to copy human imagination.
B) The language interface does not yet allow for natural language processing.
C) They are designed to be narrow in scope.
D) All of the above

Question 24

Strategic planning refers to which of the following activities?

A) Where decisions related to the effective and efficient procurement and deployment of the organizations assets are made.
B) Where decisions related to the objectives of the organization are made.
C) Where decisions relating to the day-to-day tasks and activities of the organization are made.
D) All of the above.

Question 25

Management control refers to which of the following activities?

A) Where decisions related to the objectives of the organization are made.
B) Where decisions related to the effective and efficient procurement and deployment of the organization's assets are made.
C) Where decisions relating to the day-to-day task and activities of the organization are made.
D) None of the above.

Question 26

Operational control is best associated with which of the following activities?

A) Making decisions related to the objectives of the organization.
B) Making decisions related to the effective and efficient procurement and deployment of the organizations assets.
C) Making decisions relating to the day-to-day tasks and activities of the organization.
D) Both b and c.

Question 27

The components of a DSS can be classified into which of the following?

A) Data management system, data repository, knowledge engine, model repository, user(s)
B) Data query facility, model management system, model execution processor, user interface, user(s)
C) Data management system, model management system, knowledge engine, user interface, user(s)
D) Data management system, model management system, knowledge engine, internal data, external data

Question 28

Which of the following is considered a subsystem within the data management system?

A) Database(s)
B) Database management system
C) The data query facility
D) All of the above.

Question 29

One of the most important characteristics of a model is that:

A) it is easy to construct.
B) it is commonly found in decision-making environments.
C) it is a simplified form of reality.
D) None of the above.

Question 30

The two primary responsibilities of the MBMS are:

A) execution and integration of the models available to the DSS and the modeling of user preferences.
B) execution and integration of the data available to the DSS and the manipulation of the user interface.
C) execution of the user interface and the modeling of user preferences.
D) acquisition of the knowledge contained within the DSS and the modeling of user preferences.

Question 31

Which of the following best describes the function and purpose of the inference engine?

A) It is the subsystem responsible for the acquisition and construction of knowledge rules.
B) It is a component of a DSS that is specifically intended to allow the user to access the internal components of that system in a relatively easy fashion and without having to know specifically how everything is put together or how it works.
C) It is a program module that activates domain knowledge and performs inferencing to work toward a solution or conclusion based upon the values for the facts given and the relationships or rules associated with them.
D) None of the above.

Question 32

The person who may work closely with the decision maker to assist in interpreting and explaining the DSS output is called the:

A) domain expert.
B) intermediary.
C) domain operator.
D) knowledge generator.

Question 33

Which of the following are the two primary support orientations for a DSS?

A) Data-centric and model-centric
B) Procedural and non-procedural
C) Programmed and non-programmed
D) Simulated and actual

Question 34

Which of the following is a characteristic of a DSS?

A) It is interactive and user-friendly.
B) It is generally developed using an iterative process.
C) I supports all phases of the decision-making process.
D) All of the above.

Question 35

Which of the following is not a benefit of DSS use?

A) It shortens the time associated with making a decision.
B) The power of the DSS is based upon the system it is running on.
C) It encourages exploration and discovery on the part of the decision maker.
D) All of the above are benefits.

Question 36

Gorry and Scott Morton's framework for decision support classifies types of decisions as:

A) simplified and complex.
B) structured, semi-structured, and unstructured.
C) supported, semi-supported, and unsupported.
D) None of the above.

Question 37

Which of the following is a function of the presentation language of a DSS?

A) It allows for detailed report definition.
B) It allows for the creation of forms.
C) It provides for the presentation of data in multiple formats.
D) All of the above.

Question 38

Which of the following is not a DSS usage category?

A) Terminal mode
B) Clerk mode
C) Query mode
D) Subscription mode

Question 39

Which of the following is the DSS classification proposed by Donovan and Madnick?

A) Structured and unstructured
B) Mechanical and decisional
C) Formal and ad-hoc
D) None of the above.

Question 40

Which type of decision support system keeps track of a large amount of disparate documents?

A) Hypertext system
B) Document encyclopedia
C) Silver junction system
D) None of the above.

Question 41

Describe the general functions of the Model Base Management System.

Question 42

What are the benefits of DSS use?

Question 43

What are the two main responsibilities of the DBMS?