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Table of contentsManagement information system ......................................................................................... 1Overview .............................................................................................................................. 2History .................................................................................................................................. 2Terminology ......................................................................................................................... 3Types .................................................................................................................................... 3Advantages ........................................................................................................................... 4Enterprise applications ......................................................................................................... 4Developing Information Systems ........................................................................................ 4

Management information systemA management information system (MIS) provides information which is needed tomanage organizations efficiently and effectively. Management information systems

involve three primary resources: people, technology, and information. Managementinformation systems are distinct from other information systems in that they are used toanalyze operational activities in the organization.Academically, the term is commonlyused to refer to the group of information management methods tied to the automation or support of human decision making, e.g. decision support systems , expert systems ,and executive information systems .

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OverviewInitialy in businesses and other organizations, internal reporting was produced manuallyand only periodically, as a by-product of the accounting system and with some additionalstatistic(s), and gave limited and delayed information on management performance. Data

was organized manually according to the requirements and necessity of the organization.As computational technology developed, information began to be distinguished from dataand systems were developed to produce and organize abstractions, summaries,relationships and generalizations based on the datas.

Early business computers were used for simple operations such as tracking sales or payroll data, with little detail or structure. Over time, these computer applications becamemore complex, hardware storage capacities grew, and technologies improved for connecting previously isolated applications. As more and more data was stored andlinked, managers sought greater detail as well as greater abstraction with the aim of creating entire management reports from the raw, stored data. The term "MIS" arose todescribe such applications providing managers with information about sales, inventories,and other data that would help in managing the enterprise. Today, the term is used

broadly in a number of contexts and includes (but is not limited to): decision supportsystems , resource and people management applications, enterprise resource

planning (ERP), enterprise performance management (EPM), supply chainmanagement (SCM), customer relationship management (CRM), project management anddatabase retrieval applications.

The successful MIS supports a business's long range plans, providing reports based upon performance analysis in areas critical to those plans, with feedback loops that allow for titivation of every aspect of the enterprise, including recruitment and training regimens.MIS not only indicate how things are going, but why and where performance is failing tomeet the plan. These reports include near-real-time performance of cost centers and

projects with detail sufficient for individual accountability

HistoryKenneth and Jane Laudon identify five eras of MIS evolution corresponding to five

phases in the development of computing technology: 1) mainframe and minicomputer computing, 2) personal computers, 3) client/server networks, 4) enterprise computing,and 5) cloud computing.

The first (mainframe and minicomputer) era was ruled by IBM and their mainframecomputers, these computers would often take up whole rooms and require teams to runthem, IBM supplied the hardware and the software. As technology advanced thesecomputers were able to handle greater capacities and therefore reduce their cost. Smaller,more affordable minicomputers allowed larger businesses to run their own computingcenters in-house.

The second (personal computer) era began in 1965 as microprocessors started to competewith mainframes and minicomputers and accelerated the process of decentralizingcomputing power from large data centers to smaller offices. In the late 1970s

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minicomputer technology gave way to personal computers and relatively low costcomputers were becoming mass market commodities, allowing businesses to providetheir employees access to computing power that ten years before would have cost tens of thousands of dollars. This proliferation of computers created a ready market for interconnecting networks and the popularization of the Internet.

As the complexity of the technology increased and the costs decreased, the need to shareinformation within an enterprise also grew, giving rise to the third (client/server) era inwhich computers on a common network were able to access shared information on aserver. This allowed for large amounts of data to be accessed by thousands and evenmillions of people simultaneously.

The fourth (enterprise) era enabled by high speed networks, tied all aspects of the business enterprise together offering rich information access encompassing the completemanagement structure.

The fifth and latest (cloud computing) era of information systems employs networkingtechnology to deliver applications as well as data storage independent of theconfiguration, location or nature of the hardware. This, along with highspeed cellphone and wifi networks, led to new levels of mobility in which managersaccess the MIS from most anywhere with laptops, tablet pcs, and smartphones.

TerminologyThe terms MIS , information system , ERP and, information technology management areoften confused. Information systems and ERP are broader categories that includeMIS. Information technology management concerns the operation and organization of information technology resources independent of their purpose.

TypesMost management information systems specialize in particular commercial and industrialsectors, aspects of the enterprise, or management substructure.

Management information systems (MIS) , per se , produce fixed, regularlyscheduled reports based on data extracted and summarized from the firmsunderlying transaction processing systems [4] to middle and operational level managersto identify and inform structured and semi-structured decision problems.

Decision support systems (DSS) are computer program applications used bymiddle management to compile information from a wide range of sources to support

problem solving and decision making. Executive information systems (EIS) is a reporting tool that provides quick accessto summarized reports coming from all company levels and departments such asaccounting, human resources and operations.

Marketing information systems are MIS designed specifically for managingthe marketing aspects of the business.

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Office automation systems (OAS) support communication and productivity in theenterprise by automating work flow and eliminating bottlenecks. OAS may beimplemented at any and all levels of management.

AdvantagesThe following are some of the benefits that can be attained for different types of managementinformation systems.

Companies are able to highlight their strengths and weaknesses due to the presence of revenue reports, employees' performance record etc. The identification of these aspects canhelps the company to improve their business processes and operations.

Giving an overall picture of the company and acting as a communication and planningtool.

The availability of the customer data and feedback can help the company to align their business processes according to the needs of the customers. The effective management of customer data can help the company to perform direct marketing and promotion activities.

Information is considered to be an important asset for any company in the moderncompetitive world. The consumer buying trends and behaviours can be predicted by theanalysis of sales and revenue reports from each operating region of the company.

Enterprise applications

Enterprise systems , also known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems provide an organization with integrated software modules and a unified databasewhich enable efficient planning, managing, and controlling of all core business

processes across multiple locations. Modules of ERP systems may include finance,accounting, marketing, human resources, production, inventory management anddistribution.

Supply chain management (SCM) systems enable more efficient management of the supply chain by integrating the links in a supply chain. This may includesuppliers, manufacturer, wholesalers, retailers and final customers.

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems help businesses managerelationships with potential and current customers and business partners acrossmarketing, sales, and service.

Knowledge management system (KMS) helps organizations facilitate thecollection, recording, organization, retrieval, and dissemination of knowledge. Thismay include documents, accounting records, and unrecorded procedures, practicesand skills.

Developing Information Systems

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MIS is not just about implementing a system but it is all about providing the rightinformation to the recipient either it is derived from a system or otherwise.

"The actions that are taken to create an information system that solves an organizational problem are called system development (Laudon & Laudon, 2010)". These includesystem analysis, system design, programming, testing, conversion, production and finallymaintenance. These actions usually take place in that specified order but some may needto repeat or be accomplished concurrently.

System analysis is accomplished on the problem the company is facing and is trying tosolve with the information system. Whoever accomplishes this step will identify the

problem areas and outlines a solution through achievable objectives. This analysis willinclude a feasibility study, which determines the solutions feasibility based on money,time and technology. Essentially the feasibility study determines whether this solution isa good investment. This process also lays out what the information requirement will befor the new system.

System design shows how the system will fulfill the requirements and objectives laid outin the system analysis phase. The designer will address all the managerial, organizationaland technological components the system will address and need. It is important to notethat user information requirements drive the building effort. The user of the system must

be involved in the design process to ensure the system meets the users need andoperations.

Programming entails taking the design stage and translating that into software code. Thisis usually out sourced to another company to write the required software or companys

buy existing software that meets the systems needs. The key is to make sure the softwareis user friendly and compatible with current systems.

Testing can take on many different forms but is essential to the successfulimplementation of the new system. You can conduct unit testing, which tests each

program in the system separately or system testing which tests the system as a whole.Either way there should also be acceptance testing, which provides a certification that thesystem is ready to use. Also, regardless of the test a comprehensive test plan should bedeveloped that identifies what is to be tested and what the expected outcome should be.

Conversion is the process of changing or converting the old system into the new. This can be done in four ways:

Parallel strategy Both old and new systems are run together until the new one functionscorrectly (this is the safest approach since you do not lose the old system until the new

one is bug free).Direct cutover The new system replaces the old at an appointed time.

Pilot study Introducing the new system to a small portion of the operation to see how it fares. If good then the new system expands to the rest of the company.

Phased approach New system is introduced in stages.

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Anyway you implement the conversion you must document the good and bad during the processto identify benchmarks and fix problems. Conversion also includes the training of all personnelthat are required to use the system to perform their job.

Production is when the new system is officially the system of record for the operation andmaintenance is just that. Maintain the system as it performs the function it was intended to meet.

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