A Spatial Decision Support System

A SPATIAL DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM

FOR BANK LOCATION: A CASE STUDY.

by

David J. Willer

National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

Department of Geography

State University of New York at Buffalo

Buffalo, New York 14260

Technical Report 90-9

November 1990

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would first like to thank my parents for providing me with the support and opportunity for this educational experience. Thanks also to my wife Teri and her parents for their friendship and support which has been greatly needed and appreciated. I thank Dr. Paul Densham for guidance and the opportunity to conduct research under his advisement, also to Dr. Barbara Buttenfield, Greg Theisen, Lew Jean King, and SUNYAB students who helped enrich my university experience. Partial support for this research was provided by Manufacturers Traders and Trust Company and the National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA). This research is a contribution to Initiative 6 of the NCGIA.

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a computer-based system that is designed to help solve semi-structured location problems that exist within the banking industry. Bank-branch location problems are complex, often requiring large data sets and sophisticated modeling techniques in their solution, providing a good testing ground for such a system. The first chapter of the paper discusses new developments in locational analysis and in bank-branch location, and an introduction to the spatial decision support system (SDSS) literature. Chapter two is a discussion of an SDSS designed and implemented to help solve bank location problems. This chapter also discusses a new area for the use of Geographic Information Systems. Chapter three examines the design and construction of a prototype SDSS which will make use of currently available software and hardware technologies. Chapter four focuses on a case study which uses the aforementioned SDSS to address a complex, bank-branch...