Decision-Support Systems (DSS): DSS are primarily intended to produce information that supports which class of managerial decisions?

Introduction / Context:
Decision-Support Systems assist managers with complex problems where procedures are not fully specified in advance. These decisions require judgment, exploration of scenarios, and incorporation of qualitative factors alongside quantitative data—features that distinguish DSS from routine transaction processing and fixed, preprogrammed reports.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• DSS provide interactive models, what-if analysis, and ad hoc querying.
• Problems addressed lack fully defined algorithms or procedures.
• Users are typically middle to senior managers and analysts.

Concept / Approach:
Unstructured (and often semi-structured) decisions involve ambiguous objectives, uncertain data, and multiple criteria. DSS integrate model bases and data with user-friendly interfaces to explore alternatives. By contrast, well-structured, routine, and strictly anticipated decisions are often handled by TPS or MIS with standard rules and scheduled reports instead of flexible, exploratory tools.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Classic frameworks (Gorry & Scott Morton) place DSS toward the less-structured end of decision problems, confirming the classification.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Structured, anticipated, or routine decisions typically use predefined procedures and standard reports, not DSS exploration.

Common Pitfalls:
Expecting DSS to replace TPS/MIS; neglecting data quality and governance when feeding DSS models.

Final Answer:
unstructured