What is the primary focus of executive support systems in an organization?

The primary focus of executive support systems (ESS) is indeed on the long-range planning activities of senior management. These systems are designed to help top executives gather and analyze data to support strategic decision-making. ESS typically incorporate advanced analytical tools and provide dashboards and data visualization to enable executives to view key performance indicators and other critical data points at a glance. By facilitating trend analysis and forecasting, ESS allows senior management to make informed decisions that shape the future direction of the organization and align with its long-term goals.

This focus distinguishes ESS from other systems that cater to different levels of management. For example, knowledge and data workers' tasks typically revolve around operational data processing and analysis, catering more to the needs of daily business operations. Decision-making tasks related to middle management often use management information systems that serve more routine reporting needs rather than the strategic insights provided by an ESS. Lastly, day-to-day processes of production are better supported by transaction processing systems or operational systems designed for efficiency and management of routine tasks.