ABSTRACT
Within DSS research, decision-making has been tackled from two directions. The first, a form of knowledge engineering, seeks to produce a model based on expertise derived from an individual expert decision-maker, while the second, user modelling, considers the nature and skills of the user. Both of these approaches, but especially the latter, rely on aspects of cognitive style research, for instance, cognitive complexity, field independence/dependence and thinking mode. These have received much attention in the information systems and DSS literature (Zmud, 1978). Mann et al. (1989) echo many earlier researchers in maintaining that DSS which are in keeping with the users’ cognitive style will be more frequently used, more effective in decision-making and better accepted. They suggest that the impact of cognitive style research is most significant with regard to the design of dialogue between user and system. However, they caution that few operational guidelines for DSS design have emerged from current cognitive style research. Indeed Huber (1983) questions the worth of cognitive-based research as offering useful insights into information system construction arguing that there is no adequate theory of cognitive style, inadequate measuring instruments and faulty empirical research design. He goes on to
suggest that the flexibility of DSS generators allows change at will and hence reduces the relevance of cognitive style. Huber, however, seems to have been over-optimistic in his projections for the technology. In consequence cognitive style research continues unabated. Cognitive style, however, is only one of a number of individual differences such as training, experience, intelligence and organizational factors which will affect DSS use. Each of these individual differences may be influenced by gender, but Mann et al. (1989), in discussing the implications of cognitive style on DSS use, fail to identify gender as an important factor. In fact there has been a marked decline in recent years in the number of studies examining differences between male and female abilities and judgement processes. This has not arisen because the previous results are conclusive, but may mark a growing reluctance to explore this sensitive area.
