A decision support system can support a decision maker by recalling or deriving knowledge in order to find or solve problems affecting the decision at hand. A decision support system can also be instrumental in the sharing of knowledge among decision making participants, perhaps even stimulating them to jointly create new knowledge that would not otherwise exist. It is this support of multiparticipant decision making that we explore in Part Five. We also examine the special nature of decision support systems for top-level executives and close with some preparatory ideas about the nature of tomorrow's knowledge-based organizations.

Chapter 16 lays a foundation for understanding multiparticipant decision support systems (MDSSs). It shows that these systems are part of the field known as organizational computing. As such MDSSs are closely related to such organizational computing topics as groupware, computer-mediated communication, computer support cooperative work, and coordination technology. Each of these topics is reviewed as a background for appreciating the next chapter's coverage of MDSSs.

Chapter 17 introduces a generic framework for MDSSs that is an extension of the generic DSS framework introduction in Part II. Three important kinds of systems adhering to this MDSS framework are group decision support systems, organizational decision support systems, and negotiation support systems. The nature and uses of each of these types of MDSSs are examined as the chapter unfolds.

Chapter 18 is devoted to executive information systems. It begins by considering the information needs of top executives and how such needs differ from those of other decision makers. This leads to a consideration of the nature of executive information systems. We also look at how such systems are developed, what their limitations are, and what conditions lead to their development and adoption.