Alyssa Fay Chapter 11 Self Study 1.

Write a brief essay describing the types of systems used to support management decision making. Management has several Decision support systems that aid them in making decisions within their organizations. These decision support systems combine different models and data in attempt to solve both semi structured and unstructured decision and are designed to enable managers and analysts to interactively access data, then manipulate and then conduct analyses on this data. Decision support systems include; sensitivity analysis, what-id analysis, goal-seeking analysis, group decision support systems, and organizational support systems. Sensitivity analysis is the study that the impact of changes in at least one if not more decision making models would have on the other parts of the decision making models. Mainly sensitivity analysis examines the impact that changes on input variables would have on changes in output variables. This type of analysis allows adaptation of the system to the varying changes that occur to the changing requirements in various decision making situations. It also provides a better understanding and increases the users confidence in the model. Sensitivity analysis tells whether a model is sensitive, which means that small changes can recommend a different solution completely, or no sensitive, which means that changes do not recommend a different solution. When a person builds a model they have to make predictions, based on uncertain futures, about the input data. The results of this have directly to do with the accuracy of these predictions or assumptions. What-if analysis tries to predict the impact of a change in assumption regarding impact data on the proposed solution. Goal seeking analysis is seen as a backward solution approach. It starts with the desired level of output and tries to find the value of the inputs that will be needed to reach that desired level of output. In other words the start with the end result in order to see what it will take to get there. Group decision support systems are designed specifically to support decisions that are being made by groups of people rather than individuals. Electronic support for these group decisions includes support for both one room groups, a group of people in one location, and virtual groups, in which the members of the group are in different locations. This type of system is computer based that helps groups find the solutions to semi structured and unstructured problems with the objective of eventually coming to a decision. Organizational decision support systems focus on an organizational activity that involves a sequence of operations and decision makers. To complete such a task an individuals work must coincide with other peoples work. The computer serves just to assist with communication, coordination and problem solving.

2. Read the closing case: Operational Business Intelligence Means Better Pizza at Papa Gino's. Then answer questions 1 and 2.
1. Benefits that Papa Ginos is seeing from its operational business intelligence system: The finance and operations managers are now able to spend time on more important things than collecting data. They know have time to analyze the trends that come from the data analysis. Managers can now get a more accurate idea of how much product they should order due to the forecasting abilities. Managers can now predict how many workers they should have on each shift because of forecasting All of this improves the overall efficiency of the organization. There has been a higher percentage of on time deliveries because they are now able to easily see how often the deliveries were getting to the customers later than expected and they are able to focus on that to make that aspect of the business better. They are able to improve the answering time for customer calls by looking at the information provided for their answering times and figuring out if they have enough staff on at times to be able to answer the calls in the amount of time that they should be answered in. Data is received by every manager more quickly usually by 6:30 each morning. Managers can quickly analyze different financial data including; revenue, number of customers, what time of items the customers are ordering, and how many hours the employees are working. Managers are able to easily compare their location to others nearby. Managers are alerted if data is lower or higher than normal so that their attention is focused on the bigger differences. 2. Additional analyses that Papa Ginos managers and analysts could run that would benefit the company and its restaurants as well as provide competitive advantage are What-if analysis and sensitivity analysis. They can use what if analysis to see if they want a greater desired outcome, profit, what it would take to get there. Whether it be cutting costs or improving sales. They can then use sensitivity analysis to see whether different variables are sensitive or non sensitive in when deciding whether or not to make a decision. For example would cutting hours of an employee make a difference in the service that customers would receive? If yes then they wouldnt want to make that decision. Customer service is Papa Ginos competitive advantage and so that should be their main focus when making decisions based on the analysis of the data.