What is the primary source of data used by a decision support system (DSS) for a large online retailer?

The transaction processing system (TPS) serves as the primary source of data for a decision support system (DSS) in a large online retailer because it is responsible for capturing and processing daily transactions. This includes sales, customer orders, inventory updates, and other operational transactions that occur in real-time. The data collected by the TPS is essential for analyzing business performance, trends, and patterns that inform decision-making processes.

In the context of an online retailer, the TPS provides detailed transactional data that can be mined and analyzed by the DSS to support strategic decisions, such as inventory management, pricing strategies, and marketing initiatives. This foundational data is critical as it reflects the company's operational realities, allowing decision-makers to utilize accurate and comprehensive information to guide their strategic choices.

While the business intelligence (BI) system is also crucial, as it often aggregates and analyzes data from multiple sources, including the TPS, its role is more about synthesizing data for actionable insights rather than being the primary source. The human resource management system and cloud web hosting system serve different purposes and do not provide the transactional data necessary for a DSS focused on retail decision-making.