Century presents an era of intensive technology use in management decisions. Laudon & Laudon (2012) assert that technology has become an ingrained part of business decision making as they strive to attain their strategic objectives and consequently acquire competitive advantage. Information systems (IS) are among some of the main technologies employed in the management of contemporary organisations. Information systems are further divided into other types that include Decision Support Systems (DSS). This paper specifically explores the role of DSS systems in promoting successful businesses at Unilever PLC.
Background
Information systems (IS) are defined as “a collection of integrated elements that gather, monitor, store and dispense data and information as well as give a route of feedback in order to attain set goals” (Laudon & Laudon, 2012). They are used at the Strategic level, business level and functional levels (Stair & Reynolds, 2015) (see figure 1). Information systems are further divided into other types that include Decision Support Systems (DSS), which are designed to facilitate the formulation of solutions in decision-making challenges (Drake, et al., 2010). Modern DSS are highly flexible, easy to use, and robust in organisation decision making (Laudon & Laudon, 2012); however, they still suffer from the lack of ethical considerations in the decision-making process (Liu, et al., 2009).
Unilever PLC Case Study
The paper centred on the Unilever Corporation, a global consumer goods company headquartered in London and Rotterdam in the UK and Netherlands respectively (Green, 2013; Forbes, 2018). The company is renowned for having an elaborate IS that covers its strategic to functional objectives. In its strategic vision, the company is dedicated to reducing its carbon footprint and enlarging its social influence (Unilever, 2016). In this case, it has an essential plan that incorporates information systems into the value chain of customers, suppliers, and distributors to ensure that this vision is adhered.
More specifically, Unilever’s environment management system functions in a five-phase cycle (Figure 2) (Unilever, 2016). These include (1) preparation of the mechanisms of the environmental management system; (2) implementation and operation to safeguard constructive preservation and environmental training; (3) the checking stage that involves productive reassurance, inspecting, and purveyor guarantee; (4) management review and; (5) development of environment policy for use in DSS. In essence, the DSS system allows the company to make decisions that align with its long-term objectives and strategies. More specifically, the information system allows the formation of ethical decisions that do not conflict with the moral standards of the stakeholders in the company’s internal and external environment.
Conclusion
In summary information systems have become ingrained in most elements of organisations. Despite the vast benefits of IS, only very few businesses have managed to infuse ethics in DSS. Unilever’s 5-stage decision making process allows a review of decisions made, making sure that they are appropriate for the organisation. it is evident that research on various ethical standpoints is inadequate. In the narrow body of existing research, Nevertheless, information systems have a long way to go in order to replace the full functionality of human beings in ethical decision-making. As demonstrated by the Unilever case, analysis must be done regularly to ensure that DSS are on the right track in this highly dynamic environment.
References
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Liu, S., Duffy, A. H. B., Whitfield, R. I. " Boyle, I. M., 2009. Integration of decision support systems to improve decision support performance. Knowl Inf Syst, 06 February.
Stair, R. " Reynolds, G., 2015. Fundamentals of Information Systems. 8 ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.
Unilever, 2016. Environmental Management System. [Online] Available at: https://www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/the-sustainable-living-plan/reducing-environmental-impact/eco-efficiency-in-manufacturing/environmental-management-system/ [Accessed 9 April 2018].
