Contents 1. Introduction
Jessup and Valacich [26] recommend that future GSS research needs to focus primarily on issues related to the group, rather than the technology, and include studies of cultural norms, values, and processes. They define this challenge as “culture bridging” (p. 316). Raman and Wei [35] suggest that differences in cultural attributes and decision environments have important implications in the design of GDSS for people of different cultures. These differences include communication style and mode, status, appropriate ways of expressing disagreement, and recognizing that in collectivist countries, the preservation of group harmony may be more important than the pursuit of the organization's short-term goals. Task-oriented considerations for some cultures may be far less important than social-oriented considerations. Consequently, different types and levels of communication support may be needed.
