The ESS Revolution: Decision Support Software Reaches the Boardroom

A trend originating in the United States, and now migrating to Europe, is for chief executives of the larger organisations, and their close colleagues, to be provided with Executive Support Systems. These are desk‐top computers which provide an instant information overview of their companies, via numerous links with mainframes, minis, and commercial on‐line data services. Equipped with powerful analytical, planning and presentation tools, ESS systems permit senior managers to detect and investigate variances from budgets and predictions for all corporate data, and also to model hypothetical corporate scenarios in order to develop management strategy. ESS systems generally necessitate little training or computer literacy.