International Journal of Business and Economics Volume 12, No. 2 December, 2013

Making Sense of Complex Marketing Decision Systems:  Decision System Analysis

Roger Marshall

Marketing Advertising Retail and Sales Department, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

David Bibby

Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand

Na WoonBong

KyungHee University, South Korea

Abstract

Decision system analysis (DSA) is a conceptually simple technique that maps the process of group decisions over time. The data are gathered in a variety of ways, but most often some form of protocol analysis is the foremost tool. The data are then condensed and depicted as a flow chart for a specific decision. If several such flow charts can be assembled within an industry, they can be melded together to form a generic guide that is very useful to practitioners and very interesting to theorists. Here, a brief history of the development of the technique leads to a description of the process. This is followed by a comparison to cognitive mapping, a similar technique applied to mapping thought processes rather than physical processes, and an illustrative longitudinal example of DSA.

Keywords：decision system analysis, protocols, decision maps, business decisions.

JEL Classifications：M30, M31, M37.

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