Expert versus novice use of the executive support systems: an empirical study

Expertise is essential in problem solving, particularly for executives. Much literature indicates that, in solving daily problems, executives may employ both analytical thinking and intuition. To develop skills and apply intuition, company executives require the use of support devices such as executive support systems (ESS), but their value may differ substantially between experts and novices. Previous research has failed to address the effects of expertise on ESS use. Therefore, this study examines how professionals use them to address business-oriented tasks. The professionals studied were divided into two groups, depending on whether they were experts or novices in the business represented by those tasks. The findings of the experiments show that computer self-efficacy strongly influenced the use of ESS. Moreover, experts felt that the ESS was of greater use when more powerful systems were employed, while the difference for novices between more and less powerful systems was insignificant. Finally, experts rated their user information satisfaction score significantly higher when employing more powerful systems. However, novices rated systems significantly higher only when they cognitively fit the performed task. Implications are discussed.