S is d e s i g n e d very differently f r o m D S S . For e x a m p l e , a g o o d S m u s t o f f e r a

E I S is d e s i g n e d very differently f r o m D S S . For e x a m p l e , a g o o d E I S m u s t o f f e r a

h i g h - s p e e d , n o n t e c h n i c a l w a y f o r m a n a g e r s t o i n v e s t i g a t e b u s i n e s s d y n a m i c s (i.e., t o understand w h e r e and w h y things are h a p p e n i n g so that tactical c h a n g e s and c o u r s e corrections c a n be m a d e ) . This is also a m a j o r area that distinguishes E I S f r o m a stan-

dard M I S r e p o r t i n g s y s t e m . A n y s u m m a r y a p p e a r i n g o n a n E I S s c r e e n m u s t o f f e r instant a c c e s s to t h e s u p p o r t i n g detail; o t h e r w i s e , it is just a g l o r i f i e d b r i e f i n g b o o k (slide s h o w ) s h o w i n g d y n a m i c a l l y r e f r e s h e d data. I n addition, t h e s u p p o r t i n g details

m u s t be m e a n i n g f u l (e.g., time-series orientation with graphical and numerical c o n t e n t , written narratives f r o m k n o w l e d g e a b l e staff, o r artificial i n t e l l i g e n c e ( A l ) - p r o v i d e d explanations).

INTEGRATING EIS A N D D S S : A N EXECUTIVE S U P P O R T SYSTEM W e h a v e just c o n c l u d e d that E I S differs f r o m D S S . I n d e e d , t h e y are treated a s inde-

p e n d e n t s y s t e m applications i n m a n y organizations. H o w e v e r , i n s o m e cases there are major b e n e f i t s in integrating t h e t w o t e c h n o l o g i e s . For e x a m p l e , at a large drug c o m - pany, product m a n a g e r s d o w n l o a d t h e p r e v i o u s day's orders of their products f r o m an