THE EFFECTS OF A GROUP DECISION-SUPPORT SYSTEM ON CULTURALLY DIVERSE AND CULTURALLY HOMOGENEOUS GROUP DECISION-MAKING

Considerable research has been conducted over the last decade on the e ffects of using Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) in group decisio n making. Studies have examined the influence of GDSS on such variable s as group task, size, quality of decision, and satisfaction with the process. However, only a few studies have focused on the use of GDSS a nd its interaction with group composition. This study compared the eff ects of group decision making, both with and without GDSS technology, on culturally diverse and homogeneous groups. Group performance was me asured by the number of non-redundant, realistic ideas and the quality of solution produced in response to posed problems. The GDSS used in the study was Vision Quest. Groups using it, regardless of cultural ma ke up, developed a significantly higher number of non-redundant realis tic ideas than groups that did not. Furthermore, among groups using th e GDSS, culturally diverse groups produced a significantly higher numb er of non-redundant, realistic ideas than homogeneous groups that used the GDSS. Implications for diversity management and group support res earch are suggested.