Definition and Concepts of Management Information System

Objective 

    Management Information Systems are of pivotal importance for the any of industries and organisations. MIS is an excellent tool to provide management information at all stages of decision along, thus, greatly helping an organisation to achieve its set of goals and objectives. MIS may be explained as a distinct methodology in conceiving, creating, planning and implementation of all managerial functions. 

   

       An effective MIS helps to supply accurate, relevant and timely information to the management of the organisation and that of a poor MIS may provide inaccurate, irrelevant and obsolete information which becomes too expensive or fatal to an organisation.

Definition

    The MIS has been understood and described in a number of ways. It is also referred to as:

                      a) Information system

                      b) Information and decision system

                      c) Computer based information system

    MIS can be defined in a number of ways :

   1. The MIS is defined as a system which provides information support for decision making in the organisation.

   2. MIS is an integrated system of men and machines for providing the information to support the operations, the management and decision making functions in the organisation.

    3. MIS is defined as a system based on the database to the Organisation evolved for the purpose of providing information to the people in the Organisation. 

CONCEPTS 

The word 'MIS' comprises of three basic elements such as : 

a) Management 

b) Information 

c) System 

 Management

 

     The Management is the technique of getting things done through people by following careful planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling. The effective management process includes right communication, motivation, and leadership by incorporating dynamism in implementing an integrated frame work of system. The word management also may be defined as working with and through individuals and groups to accomplish total organisational goals. It may be applicable to any organisation viz., business, educational institutions, hospitals, families, social institutions and political organisations. A management process involves planning, organising, motivating and controlling in the capacity of Presidents. Chairperson, Department Heads, Foremen, Superiors, College Deans, Bishops and Governmental Heads or even a well run Household Manager. Management hierarchy involves Strategic planning, Management control and operational supervision. 

  

       Planning involves setting up of goals for the Organisation's development, (preparing work maps, job charts etc.). The first level i.e., strategic planning decides what should be the type of business now and tat should be the nature of business in the near future. The next level, management control, includes processor functions that facilitate the management of those processes delegated to the operational control level. An example of this is production scheduling, where a system Is established wherein a product passes through various points for transformation within a factory The feed back received from the production scheduling helps the management to have proper control over the operation Operational control narrates the processes performed to control the basic product or services of the Company.

Information 

      The concept MIS gives very high regard to the individual and his ability to use information. MIS gives information through data analysis. Therefore, while analyzing data, it depends on academic disciplines. These generally include theories, principles and concepts from management science, management accounting, operational research, organisational behaviour, computer engineering science etc. Human psychology makes MIS more effective and useful. These disciplines are used in designing the MIS, evolving decision support tools for modeling and decision making. The foundation of MIS is the principles of management and practices. Management information system can be evolved for a specific objective, if it is developed after a systematic planning and design. It demands for analysis of business, management views and policies, organisational culture and management style.

     The concept therefore, is a blend of principles, theories and practice of management information and system giving rise to a single product known as MIS.

Systems 

    A System is an integrated-set of components or entities, that interact to achieve a particular function or goal. The system has characteristics such as boundaries, outputs. inputs, methods of converting inputs into outputs and system interfaces. Systems are composed of interrelated and inter dependent sub systems. Eg. a college class room, which includes class room situation including instructor, students, text books and facilities. Every system has a boundary that defines its scope of activities For example, the activities in a class room include lectures, discussions. examinations, grading etc.

Sub system 

    The main system consists of several sub-systems; each of these has elements, interactions and objectives. Sub-systems perform specialised tasks related to overall objectives of the total system. For example, a defined degree of course in a college will have several courses as a sub-system. In a business system various functions such as marketing, finance and product manufacturing arc sub-systems.

Inputs and Outputs

     The inner working of a system or sub-systems are organized to produce outputs from inputs. In this conversion process some value or utility should be added. For example, training programme to produce trained employees with adequate knowledge and skills.

Interface 

      Interface is a connection at system or sub system boundaries. This serves as a medium to convey the output from one system as the input of another system. For example, two typical business systems that interface with each other are inventory control and purchasing.Information is generally defined as " data that has been processed into a form that is meaningful to the recipient and whose real value has been perceived". The term 'data and information' are often used interchangeably, however, data is the raw material for the information. The constrains of information communication can be classified into three levels: -

      a) Technical level                            How accurately can information be transmitted?

      b) Presentation level                       How precisely do the transmitted symbols, signs, convey                                                                  the desired meaning?

      c) Effectiveness level (quality)         How suitable is the message to motivate human action?

   

      Most of the engineering products are complicated, hence can only be designed by considering them as a system. System is explained as a set of elements joined together to achieve common objectives. A system is made up of sub-systems composed of further sub-systems. For example, the business organisation is a system and parts such as divisions, departments, functions. units etc. are sub-systems.

     The word 'system' may be defined as engineering artifacts that are easily analyze, described or designed and is an assembly of simpler components.