The Role of Groupware and Group Decision Support Systems in Decision Making

TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Department: Business Informatics

Course: MTech (Business Information Systems)

Subject: Knowledge Technologies

Code: KNT501T

Lecturer: Prof. I Strydom

Name : Simon Lishi Nkosi
Student Number: 202191991

Assignment 1

Do a literature review clearly explaining the functionalities of groupware and group decision support systems, specifically indicating the overlaps but also the differences in the structure and functionalities of these two kinds of systems.The answer must be in the form of an article

Introduction (Abstract)

This article will conduct a literature review of GroupWare and Group Decision Support Systems clearly explaining their functionalities, specifically indicating the overlaps but also the differences in the structure and functionalities of these two kinds of systems.

This article will give examples of each to try and define the concepts more clearer. Conclusions will be drawn based on the findings in the literature study. A list of references will also be attached at the end of the study.

Groupware

A number of researchers have come up with diferent definitions of what GroupWare is. To some the term GroupWare is synonymous to computer surpported coopertaive work (CSCW). Below are some of the definitions that researchers have come up with:

Software systems that support a group of decison makers engaged in a common decison making task by providing access to the same shared enviornment and information(Bidgoli,1996)

Software that allows the sharing of system applications or files across computer platforms and different locations(Benjamin, 1995)

an application that allows the sharing, managing and control of information in a network environment(Byne, 1997)

Software that can help multiple users work together to increase productivity and track the differnet pieces of the work process in a common database(Rigney, 1997)

Any

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