MARKETING DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM
The introduction of computers has facilitated the setting up of MDSS (Marketing Decision Support System). Such system comprises of collection, storage, analysis and reporting of marketing data. The difference between MIS and MDSS is that whereas the former is centralized, the latter is decentralized and allows marketing managers to interact directly with the database. The systems are generally computerized with one or more models built in.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD MDSS
A good MDSS should have the following characteristics
1.Interactive. The process of interaction with the MDSS should be simple and direct. With just a few commands the user should be able to obtain the results immediately. There should be no need for a programmer in between.
2. Flexible. A good MDSS should be flexible. It should be able to present the available data in either discrete or aggregate form. It should satisfy the information needs of the managers in different hierarchical levels and functions.
3. Discovery oriented, The MDSS should not only assist managers in solving the existing problems but should also help them to probe for trends and ask new questions. The managers should be able to discover new patterns and be able to act on them using the MDSS.
4. User friendly. The MDSS should be user friendly. It should be easy for the managers to learnand use the system. It should not take hours just to figure out what is going on. Most MDSS packages ere menu driven and are easy to operate.
MDSS has the following components:
(a) Database (data sources, data management)
(b) Display
(c) Statistical analysis
(d) Modeling.
51 Comments