Management Information Systems

Management Information Systems

Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)

–        Support operation

–        Management and control

–        Routine, normal operations

Management Information Systems (MIS)

–        Provide decision-making support for routine, structured decisions

–        Closely linked to and fed by TPS

–        Terminology Confusion

–        MIS = the study of information technology in business settings

–        But, MIS is also term to refer to class of systems used to support operational and tactical decisionmaking

A Model for Problem Solving

•          Decision Making Phase

–        Intelligence gathering

–        Design

–        Choice

•          Implementation

•          Monitoring

Decision Making

•          A step in problem solving

•          Intelligence gathering

–        Definition of problem

–        Data gathered on scope

–        Constraints identified

•          Design phase

–        Alternatives identified and assessed

•          Choice

–        Selection of an alternative

Structured vs. Unstructured Problems

•          Structured problems lend themselves to programmed decisions

–        The implication is that a repeatable process can be employed and these can be automated

•          Unstructured problems require unprogrammed decisions

Unstructured Problems

•          Can be addressed (or partially addressed) with Decision Support Systems

Goals of an MIS

•          Provide managers with information

•          Regular, routine operations

•          Control, organize and plan better

Typical Inputs and Outputs

•          Inputs:  Information from the TPS

•          Outputs: hard and softcopy reports

–        Scheduled reports

–        On-demand reports

–        Key-indicator (business fundamentals)

–        Exception reports

Functional Perspectives of MIS

•          Financial MIS

–        Will integrate information from multiple sources

–        Functions

•          Costing

•          P&L reporting

•          Auditing

•          Funds management

Decision Support Systems

•          Used for unstructured problems

•          Characteristics

–        Data from multiple sources internal and external to organization

–        Presentation flexibility

–        Simulation and what-if capability

–        Support for multiple decision approaches

–        Statistical analysis

Components of a DSS

•          Model management software

–        Provides a variety of solution models

•          Financial, statistical, graphical, project management

•          Dialogue Manager

–        Allows user interaction with DSS

Posted in: Management Information Systems,MIS