COMPARING DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM STRUCTURE TO DECISION-MAKING EFFECTIVENESS: A FIELD EXPERIMENT IN THE NEBRASKA STATE PATROL'S INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES DIVISION (MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, CRIMINAL JUSTICE)

The problem this study addressed was the comparison between a decentralized organizational structure and the decision support system (DSS) structure--decentralized or centralized. The comparison involved an assessment of the decision maker's effectiveness under each structure and the decision maker's opinion concerning the benefits derived from the system.;The objectives of the field experiment were (1) to evaluate the concept that an organization with a decentralized organizational structure would prefer a decentralized DSS, (2) to assess the use of a centralized DSS with distributed reporting as an interim techniques until a decentralized computer system can be implemented, and (3) to develop the foundation for an Investigative Services Division Human Resource Allocation Model.;The results of this study contributed to the understanding of a DSS's function within an organization. First, it did not demonstrate that a decentralized organization prefers a decentralized information system. Second, a centralized DSS can improve the organizational effectiveness by generating distributed reports in a decentralized organizational environment. Third, the reliability and validity of the questionnaire was evaluated. This will improve the measure for future DSS research. Fourth, to develop the effectiveness measure for evaluation of procedural changes in a criminal investigation division. And fifth, the results of this study will assist in the Nebraska State Patrol's continuing project to improve the effectiveness of the organization. These results are the foundation for future research questions and the provision of valid tools to measure the changes from the implementation of a decision support system.