The use of computer-based information systems by German managers to support decision making

We surveyed German managers to investigate their use of information technology (IT), including their perception of the value provided by computer-based information systems (CBIS) and their satisfaction with CBIS in supporting decisions. Participants were predominantly mate, the majority were older than 45, most had taken two or more college computer courses, and over 90% were middle and top-level managers. They represented a variety of functional areas. Results show that these managers were relatively heavy IT users, with over 10 h of use per week. Overall, there was a significant correlation between the amount of use of IT and perceived value of the CBIS, as well as between satisfaction with and perceived value of the CBIS. Hypothesis tests for task-technology fit (TTF) showed that the greatest TTF was related to resource allocation, evaluating alternatives, identifying problems, and making short-term decisions. For middle and top managers, information reporting systems (IRS), which provide regularly scheduled reports, had greater TTF than more flexible inquiry and analysis systems, such as decision support systems (DSS). (c) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.