EXPERT SUPPORT SYSTEMS - AN INTERMEDIATE REALITY FOR MANAGEMENT

The application of expert systems (ES) in several technical areas has proven to be rather successful. However, the utilization of ES in strategic management areas has encountered some difficulties. This new endeavour deals with managerial decision making for multi-disciplinary problems involving many behavioural variables. A pragmatic solution is to utilize expert support systems (ESS) as an intermediate measure. The intention is to use ESS as supporting tools rather than using them to replace human beings. This is a situation in which machines complement human beings in decision making. The ESS will provide some knowledge and reasoning procedures while the decision-maker will supplement it with the overall problem-solving direction. This co-operation between man and machine will better accommodate the deficiencies in understanding human behavioural variables by ES. This study analyses the two-pronged development of ES and the advantages of using ESS during the interim period to overcome the uncertainties of human behaviour. © 1990 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.