The effect of using group decision support systems in value management studies : an experimental study in Hong Kong

Abstract

A group decision support system (GDSS) can be helpful to VM users overcome difficulties in value management (VM) workshops. A web-based GDSS known as interactive value management system (IVMS) is introduced in this paper. A comparative experimental study is undertaken to investigate the extent to which the use of IVMS can improve the performance of VM workshops by using a competing value approach (CVA). This study compares and contrasts the performance of a traditional VM workshop with an IVMS-supported VM workshop in three aspects: (1) process measures, (2) outcome measures, and (3) participants' satisfaction. The process measures indicate that IVMS is helpful in improving the efficiency, information reliability and supportability of decision and participation process, while the outcome measures show groups supported by IVMS perform better in ideas generations. The results also indicate that the use of GDSS results in increasing participant satisfaction.