Which system combines data to support decision making?

• A. Management Information System
• B. Decision Support System
• C. Executive Information System
• D. Customer Relationship Management

Answer: (B)

Combining data from multiple sources with analytical tools to help managers evaluate options and make decisions is what a Decision Support System is designed to do. A DSS pulls information from internal databases, external data, and models, and it provides interactive capabilities so users can run scenarios, perform what-if analyses, and explore potential outcomes of different choices. This makes it more than routine reporting; it's about analyzing possibilities to support decision making, especially for semi-structured problems.

A Management Information System focuses on routine monitoring and standard reports to support day-to-day management. An Executive Information System is tailored for top-level strategic overview with high-level dashboards, often emphasizing external indicators and trends. A Customer Relationship Management system stores and manages customer data and interactions but is oriented toward sales and service processes rather than cross-data decision-support analysis.

So, the system that best fits combining data to support decision making is the Decision Support System.