Examining Equality of Influence in Group Decision Support System Interaction

Abstract

This article explores the assumption that most group decision support systems (GDSSs) tend to equalize influence in groups. Several past studies suggest that random groups interacting in a computer-mediated environment have more equal influence than face-to-face groups. This study, however, examined variations in perceived influence and communicative influence strategies among individual members of an intact group using a GDSSfor decision making. Although results indicate that perceived influence is more equal during GDSS interaction than immediately prior to such interaction, other results question the claim of equal influence. Findings suggest that historically high- and low-influence individuals are still perceived as such even in the GDSS meetings; furthermore, historically high- and low-influence members all use influence messages, but they use different tactics and employ them in varied amounts. Thesefindings question the influence equalization assumption of GDSSs.