Longitudinal Author Cocitation Mapping focuses on specific aspects of the decision support systems (DSS) history by means of an empirical assessment of the DSS literature over three consecutive time periods: 1969-1990, 1991- 2005, and 2006-2012.

This includes:

Patterns of social constructions (the intellectual structure and ) of the DSS field.
Major schools of thoughts, Cumulative research tradition, Reference disciplines.
On-going dynamic changes in the intellectual structure.
Diffusion of ideas: From the reference disciplines to DSS research subspecialties, Within DSS research subspecialties.