Management Information System

Management Information System is a general namemanufacturing, human resources, accounting, finance
for the academic discipline covering the application ofand marketing). MIS professionals must possess a
information technology to support the majorcombination of business and technical knowledge to
functions and activities of either a private sectordevelop information systems that address the needs
business or public sector institution. In business,of the organization. They must comprehend
information systems support the process oforganizational structures, objectives, operations
collection, manipulation, storage, distribution andincluding processes and the flows of data between
utilization of an organization's information resources,processes and the financial connotations related to
business processes and operations.these factors. An MIS professional should interrelate
As an area of study it is also referred to aseffectively with users and design systems that would
information technology management. The study ofsupport their needs.
information systems is usually a commerce andMIS managers and professionals should keep
business administration discipline, and frequentlythemselves updated with evolving information
involves software engineering, but also distinguishestechnologies. They should have a solid foundation of
itself by concentrating on the integration of computertechnical skills to select appropriate technologies and
systems with the aims of the organization.to implement computer-based information systems.
The area of study should not be confused withThus, MIS people must be well versed in topics such
computer science which is more theoretical in natureas systems development tools and techniques,
and deals mainly with software creation, and not withinformation architecture, network configurations,
computer engineering, which focuses more on thedatabases, and systems integration.
design of computer hardware. IT serviceAdministrators, supervisors and managers need
management is a practitioner-focused disciplineinformation, but they are often overloaded with data.
centering on the same general domain.Information management systems sustain these piles
Management Information Systems are not justof data into comprehensible and concise descriptions
statistics and data analysis, but also assessment ofand patterns of performance. Information systems
human capabilities. They have to be used as anare not just technological facilities - such as
MBO-Management by Objectives--tool. They help todatabases. They include methods of pondering about
establish relevant and measurable objectives; monitoryour organization that will aid in approaching issues
results and performances (reach ratios) and sendmore effectively and efficiently. Management
alerts to managers at each level of the organization,information systems make use of resources that
on all deviations between results and pre-establishedwould assist in understanding and making better
objectives and budgets.decisions about the mechanical and personal sides of
The majority of information systems are created for,information systems.
and operated by, people in functional areas (e.g.,Copyright 2007 Ismael D.