The use of computerized decision support systems in higher education for making tactical institutional decisions is reviewed, with attention to the kind of administrative problems that lie somewhere between programmed to nonprogrammed decisions and require a combination of computer support and administrative judgment. (MSE)

Institutional strategic decisions require the participation of every individual with a significant stake in the solution, and group decision support systems are being developed to respond to the political and consensual problems of collective decision-making. (MSE)

In the context of decision support systems (DSS) use, four perspectives on evaluating decisions (consensual, political, empirical, and rational) and four models of organizational effectiveness (human relations, open system, internal process, and rational goal) are examined for their implications for DSS implementation and evaluation. (MSE)

The advent of decision support systems, specific computer applications for organizational decision-making, redefines the primary professional role of institutional researchers, but a more comprehensive understanding of organizational behavior and development is necessary for them to work well. (MSE)

Colleges and universities have begun to benefit from advancing technology. Considering the problems higher education faces and the potential that enterprise-wide information access offers, institutional leaders must look ahead and decide where to invest in information technology support to achieve maximum benefits in quality improvement and cost…