DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS: A FIELD INVESTIGATION INTEGRATING COGNITIVE STYLE, INCONGRUITY ADAPTATION LEVEL, DEFENSE MECHANISM AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

This research was a field investigation involving an interactive, time-sharing based decision-support system in a clinical laboratory environment for a large county medical center. By virtue of the characteristics of specimen processing, the clinical laboratory environment is a microcosm of the business environment, incorporating tactical, control, and strategic management decisions.;A high degree of pseudo-experimental control was achieved in terms of the subjects' demographic characteristics, background factors (including prior involvement with information systems), physical location, and medical center operating environment.;Subjects were from two distinct clinical laboratory groups, both using the same information system. Management operating policies, use of authority/responsibility, locus of control, and level of resolution of decision problems were highly statistically dissimilar between the two laboratories.;Decision maker characteristics assessed were: cognitive style (Rowe DSI and MBTI), incongruity adaptation level (GIAL-SD), and defense mechanisms (DMI). A multi-dimensional approach was used to measure organizational dynamics.;The research considered three separate dependent variables--information system use, decision-making effectiveness, and acceptance of the information system.;The research confirmed Argyris' hypothesis concerning dysfunctional organizational impacts on information systems and the Driver information use U-curve hypothesis. In addition, ANOVAS confirmed both the contingency (interaction) effect of organizational dynamics on cognitive style and/or main effects of organizational dynamics. The research confirms that both situational (organizational) and decision maker characteristics explain information system use, decision-making effectiveness, and acceptance of the information system.;The research suggests that aggregate use variables may be inadequate for future research. Multiple use categories are proposed, coupled with cognitive style patterns rather than cognitive style categories.