Using a systems perspective, a conceptual model is developed that encompasses a broad class of systems whose fundamental purpose is the support of managerial actions and decision making. The term management support systems (MSS) is used to label this broad class. This model is based on an extensive review of the relevant literature and available research. The result provides an integrated systems model of the phenomena involved and points to gaps in the research that arise largely from the attempts to examine various classes of MSS as separate entities. The research presented here is based on the premise that there are fundamental core consistencies or similarities among various types of systems that have evolved in the past several decades to support decision making. It presents a conceptual, theoretical model drawn from findings about various types of support systems described in the literature such as decision support systems (DSS), executive information systems (EIS), knowledge management systems (KMS), and business intelligence (BI). Pragmatic insights are provided by the conceptual model and recommendations for future research are discussed.
IT assimilation is regarded as an important outcome in the efforts of firms to leverage the potential of information technologies in their business activities and strategies. Despite significant investments in information technology, considerable diversity exists in how well firms have been able to assimilate IT and leverage the business value of IT. This research draws upon the emerging knowledge-based and resource-based views of the firm to examine the influence of three factors on IT assimilation: (i) quality of senior leadership, (ii) sophistication of IT infrastructures, and (iii) organizational size. Drawing upon a large-scale sample survey where responses were obtained from CIOs and senior business executives who were members of the firms' top management teams, the study examines a variety of mostly normative prescriptions. The findings provide robust evidence about the impacts of CIOs' business and IT knowledge on IT assimilation. Further, we find that CIOs' membership in top management teams and their informal interactions with TMT members enhance their knowledge, particularly their business knowledge. We find that the intensity of the relationship between CIO's interactions with the top management team and their level of IT and business knowledge is much stronger in firms that articulate a transformational IT vision. The sophistication of IT infrastructures was also found to significantly impact IT assimilation. Surprisingly, the IT knowledge of senior business executives was not found to be a significant influence on IT assimilation. The implications of these findings for evolving a deeper understanding of the dynamics underlying IT assimilation are presented.