Management information system

Definition: 

{1} “An 'MIS' is a planned system of the collecting, processing, storing and disseminating data in the form of information needed to carry out the functions of management. In a way it is a documented report of the activities those were planned and executed.”

{2} “ It is a computer system designed to help managers plan and direct business and organizational operations.

{3} “ MIS refers broadly to a computer-based system that provides managers with the tools for organizing, evaluating and efficiently running their departments.

When information systems are designed to provide information needed for effective decision making by managers, they are called management information systems. MIS is a formal system for providing management with accurate and timely information necessary for decision making. The system provides information on the past, present and project future and on relevant events inside and outside the organization. It may be defined as a planned and integrated system for gathering relevant data, converting it in to right information and supplying the same to the concerned executives. The main purpose of MIS is to provide the right information to the right people at the right time. The Concept of management information systems originated in the 1960s and become the byword of almost all attempts to relate computer technology and systems to data processing in business. During the early 1960s, it became evident that the computer was being applied to the solution of business problem in a piecemeal fashion, focusing almost entirely on the computerization of clerical and record – keeping tasks. The concepts of management information system were developed to counteract such in efficient development and in effective use of the computer.

The MIS concept is vital to efficient and effective computer use in business of two major reasons:

[1] It serves as a systems framework for organizing business computer applications. Business applications of computers should be viewed as interrelated and integrated computer – based information systems and not as independent data processing job.

[2] In emphasizes the management orientation of electronics information processing in business. The primary goal of computer based information systems should be the processing of data generated by business operations.

An MIS provides the following advantages.

1. It Facilitates planning: MIS improves the quality of plants by providing relevant information for sound decision – making. Due to increase in the size and complexity of organizations, managers have lost personal contact with the scene of operations.

2. In Minimizes information overload: MIS change the larger amount of data in to summarized form and there by avoids the confusion which may arise when managers are flooded with detailed facts.

3. MIS Encourages Decentralization: Decentralization of authority is possibly when there is a system for monitoring operations at lower levels. MIS is successfully used for measuring performance and making necessary change in the organizational plans and procedures.

4. It brings Coordination: MIS facilities integration of specialized activities by keeping each department aware of the problem and requirements of other departments. It connects all decision centers in the organisation.

5. It makes control easier: MIS serves as a link between managerial planning and control. It improves the ability of management to evaluate and improve performance. The used computers has increased the data processing and storage capabilities and reduced the cost.

6. MIS assembles, process, stores, Retrieves, evaluates and disseminates the information.

Types of Information Management Systems

Document management system (DMS) 

The DMS is focused primarily on the storage and retrieval of self-contained electronic data resources in the document form. Generally, The DMS is designed to help the organizations to manage the creation and flow of documents through the provision of a centralized repository. The workflow of the DMS encapsulates business rules and metadata.

Content management system (CMS) 

The CMS assist in the creation, distribution, publishing, and management of the enterprise information. These systems are generally applicable on the online content which is dynamically managed as a website on the internet or intranet. The CMS system can also be called as ‘web content management’ (WCM).

Library management system (LMS) 

Library management systems facilitate the library technical functions and services that include tracking of the library assets, managing CDs and books inventory and lending, supporting the daily administrative activities of the library and the record keeping.

Records management system (RMS) 

The RMS are the recordkeeping systems which capture, maintain and provide access to the records including paper as well as electronic documents, efficiently and timely.

Digital imaging system (DIS) 

The DIS assists in automation of the creation of electronic versions of the paper documents such as PDFs or Tiffs. So created Electronic documents are used as an input to the records management systems.

Learning management system (LMS) 

Learning management systems are generally used to automate the e-learning process which includes the administrative process like registering students, managing training resources, creating courseware, recording results etc.

Geographic information system (GIS) 

The GIS are special purpose, computer-based systems that facilitate the capture, storage, retrieval, display and analysis of the spatial data.