Critical success factors for the implementation of DSS at a selection of organisations in Kwazulu/Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Decision Support Systems (DSS) are specially developed for supporting the solution of a non-structured management problem for improved decision-making. DSS utilise data, provide easy user interfaces and allow for the decision maker's own insights. In this paper the authors explore published findings of identified critical success factors (CSFs) for the implementation of DSS. The authors identified from the available literature nine CSFs for DSS implementation; namely, user involvement, top management support, user training, information source, level of managerial activity being supported, user information satisfaction, relative use, perceived utility and goal realisation. As no previously published literature exists in South Africa, the authors sought to establish whether these same CSFs exist in organisations in KwaZulu/Natal that have implemented DSS. A questionnaire was developed and administered. A survey of twenty seven organisations in KwaZulu/Natal was undertaken. Of these, some were more successful than others. Evidence for the existence of five of the nine identified CSFs namely, user involvement, top management support, user training, relative use and perceived utility was found. This paper reports several major findings: (1) critical success factors may be absent and yet an organisation's DSS may be successful; and (2) the existence of an additional critical success factor namely, appropriate DSS tools. Some of the issues which need to be addressed by organisations embarking on a DSS implementation program are discussed.