Chapter 13 Group Support Systems Jeff Vonnahme BSAD 145 Wednesday, April 10

Outline Why are Group Systems Important Types of Group Support Systems Groupware on the Internet Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) – systems that support decision making by more than one person, working together to reach a decision

Why are Group Systems Important? Teams may be the basis for future organizations  Peter Drucker – organizations are becoming information based…future organizations will be composed of specialists who direct their performance through feedback from others Coordination theory may guide organizational design  Malone (MIT) – lessons learned about how large groups coordinate work can be applied to coordinating large groups of computing resources Companies want to “manage” knowledge  Attempts to capture knowledge (explicit vs. tacit)  “The Rudy Problem”

Types of Group Support Systems Supporting Same Time/Same Place Groups  Problems with meetings  IT can help improve meetings Supporting Presentations and Discussions  Davidson and Briggs – Use of GSS in a presentation- discussion session held in a workshop setting Supporting Dispersed Groups  Ongoing coordination by groups working at different times and places  Johansen’s Matrix

Groupware on the Internet Major uses for web-based groupware  To support project team activities  To support education  To replace listserv systems (Wheeler, Dennis, Press) Advantages & Disadvantages

CLJ Cio.com “Real-Time Collaboration Tools” This article looks at the increasing need for immediate collaboration of several people when making important business decisions. The answer for these needs? Group decision support systems. The author lists new technologies such as convergence of data, audio conferencing and videoconferencing as the gateway for the bringing together of far-away employees in real-time setting. While some big companies are focusing on GDSSs, many are adopting groupware applications. The most common today is Microsoft’s NetMeeting, which allows users to share applications and communicate in real-time conferences. Other companies such as 3M are restructuring their processes to promote interoperability. Technology like PictureTalk helps to bridge different applications among users, allowing different programs to communicate. Many companies are restructuring their networks to support these new technologies. DataBeam has developed a system that works with the business network to tie employees through web server and browser technology. Finally, new products such as Cybercasting will be the wave of the future. This application looks to erase the technical limitations of audio and videoconferencing. Whatever technology companies choose to implement, it should be noted that applications providing compatibility across PC vendors should be a top priority. "Instead of having people travel for a two- or a three-week course, all you really want to do is get people together to talk. It's not the same as a face-to-face experience, but it's rich and interesting in its own way." - Ellen Isaacs (Electric Communities)

CTQ Supporting dispersed groups is one of the most promising uses for ongoing coordination by groups who work at different times and different places. This technology can be used to stretch the workday to round-the-clock by passing work from groups in one region to the next at the end of each one’s workday. [page 410] Would passing work from one employee to another have a negative effect on the work being conducted? If so, how? Should large international companies restructure their networks to support a 24 hour cross-regional workday? Will these practices become the standard in the future due to the fact that companies can finish projects in half the time? Should companies consider creating branches in Europe and Asia to enable this competitive edge? Would these practices be particularly difficult to manage?

Any Questions? Thank You!! =