Information System

A system which manipulates information such as capturing, transmitting, storing, retrieving,

manipulating and displaying for a specific purpose is called information system. The success or
failure of any organization totally depends upon the information system. Every business is able
to work more easily and accurately with the help of Information System.

Information system takes inputs from user which will be processed via different devices such as
computers, and produce output. Again that output will be send to other devices as an input for
the device via a network and also the feedback is added to produce a better final output as shown
in figure 1.0.

Depending upon the needs of business many information systems are developed such as:

• Transaction processing system (TPS)

• Executive support system (ESS)
• Decision support system (DSS)
• Management information system (MIS)
• Knowledge work system (KWS)
• Office automation system (OAS)

Management Information System (MIS)

A management information system is a system that provides the necessary information to
manage an organization effectively. “Management information systems consist of computer
resources, people, and procedures used in the modern business enterprise. MIS also refers to the
organization that develops and maintains most or all of the computer systems in the enterprise so
that managers can make decisions.” http://www.answers.com/topic/management-information-
system. MIS should give a clear idea about developing an organization. Same database is used as
input for different level of managers and its output is used in decision making for a successful
operation of business. The main objective of MIS is to provide information about management to
decision makers at different levels in the organization.

System Role
At every phase of the management process, managers need information in order to make
effective decisions. MIS personnel must have technical knowledge and should think and work a
step ahead from the technical or other staffs. Management information is the information
required by managers as they make their decisions such as training requirements, career
development plans, job descriptions etc.
The main role of this system is to enhance the state of the organization anyhow. It should
maintain a good communication among employees. The needs for the employees must be
covered by MIS. It should always be sufficient to meet an organization's unique business goals
and objectives. On the basis of input MIS goes through different processes as following:
• Planning for an organization
• Identifying requirements for an organization benefit
• Developing the organization
• Implementing the requirements of an organization
Example:
Engineering management information systems: The engineering management information
system provides technical information to all engineering managers within an organization
including the chief engineer. The chief engineer analyzes past and current technical activities and
manages the software, hardware equipments using the information provided by the MIS
department.
System components

Inputs
Output of transaction processing system is generally one of the important inputs of the MIS. The
suggestions and complains dropped in a suggestion box can also be the input for the MIS. The
general report about the attitude and efficiency of an employee is also one of the input for MIS.
Inputs: Inventory and sales
According to the inventory and sales, MIS will generate an idea about crest and trough of an
organization.
Input: Hypothetical input

Processes
The process of MIS includes planning for organization, identifying the requirements for the
organization, developing the organization and implementing the requirements of the
organization. In the planning phase, the manager must plan for future by balancing the initial
problems. In identifying requirement phase, it should identify the requirement of necessary
hardware and software and a conceptual design for the organization to boom. In developing
phase, it involves developing technical support and technical specifications, designing the
system, testing the system, and providing user training for the system. At this time, management
again check and decides whether to implement the system. In the implementation phase, if
needed the old system is converted to new system and the maintenance and renovation are done
according to the needs of the organization. Risk is also associated with MIS. Management uses
MIS to help in the assessment of risk within an organization. However, a faulty MIS will cause
operational risks and can badly affect an organization.

Outputs
Outputs: Balance sheets, budget, financial statements, inventory status reports, and performance
reports.
These above information are provided to decision makers at various levels in the organization
from which they will make a successful operation of an organization.

Example: questions such as "What would happen to cash flow if the bank changes its interest
rate?" MIS can provide the hypothetical output which will be input for the various levels of
managers to make decision.
Conclusion

MIS can be concluded as the system which play with information taken from different types of
system such as TPS and it provides management information to decision makers at different
levels to make a successful operation of an organization. To boom the organizations value MIS
goes through a cycle which includes from planning to implementation to provide a finest output
for decision makers.

Office automation system (OAS)

OAS involves different hardware and software equipments. It is used “to digitally create collect,
store, manipulate, and transferring office information needed for accomplishing basic tasks and
goals”. http://www.answers.com/topic/office-automation.The main activities of OAS are to
collect, store data and transferring data via electronic devices to make a fruitful decision for an
organization. Actually, OAS does not usually create new idea but they manipulate and analyze
information via electronic devices.

Typewriter is the history of OAS. Nowadays, influence of OAS has spread all over the world. In
any small or big organization, or almost all businesses are using at least one computer
application in daily activity. Many office functions like typing, filing, copying, fax, Telex,
microfilm, capturing, editing visuals, satellite transmitting, records management, telephone and
telephone switchboard operations, fall into this category. Training the personnel and upgrading
the technical equipments according to need of organization is also one of the function of OAS.

System Role
OAS plays a key role for any organization. Today’s organizations are fully dependent upon
OAS. In every level, computer application is used. “Office automation systems help all those in
the office, including knowledge workers and managers, and manage office tasks.”
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_office_automation_systems. OAS is used to maintain mostly
financial records, inventory information, payroll records, and other important business
information. We can take LAN as a backbone of OAS which interrelates with various levels of
organization.

Three basic activities of OAS are as follows:

• Data storage of information

• Data exchange

• Data management

Example: OAS in television sector:

• Text via keyboard

• Sound via microphone
• Capturing videos via cameras.
• Editing via capture ccard such as Canopus or pinnacle and computers.
• Transmission via encoder and decoder
• Receiving via receiver and television.
System components

Inputs

Inputs: Text, video, graphics, sound and scanned copy.

These inputs are given through keyboard, microphone and scanner.
Inputs: existing templates, clipart, different figures, tables, charts.
These inputs are pre-existing input in the computer.

Processes

Three basic activities of OAS are as follows:

• Data storage of information

• Data exchange

• Data management

Data storage includes attendance, salary sheets, capturing and editing files, archiving images and
visuals. Word processing and desktop presentation are the best office automation activity. For
example: word processing application provide users a sophisticated set of formats, templates,
tables, charts, images, figures, layout, clipart, bullets, numbering, drawings and various graphical
shapes. Spreadsheet application is also included in OAS which allows to enter the numeric data
resulting financial management, financial projection, and accounting.

Data exchange is also equally important component of OAS. Office automation tools may work
independently or be networked with others systems. Networked OAS is made to exchange data
in various levels. Sharing information between more than one users is common in any
organization. For example: Groupware system “One type of groupware is an electronic meeting
system. Electronic meeting systems allow geographically dispersed participants to exchange
information in real time. Participants in such electronic meetings may be within the same office
or building, or thousands of miles apart.” http://www.answers.com/topic/office-automation.
Examples for exchanging data in real time are voice chat via Skype, Google talk and also
streaming videos. Network printers, fax, scanners are also a good example for data exchange.

After data storage and data exchange, the data management is the last major part of the OAS.
Managing stored information in simple and effective way is the main action of data management.
Data management involves allocation plans, reminder system, marketing expenditures,
scheduling programs, inventory purchases, archive for visuals or documents and many other
parts of business. “Electronic management systems monitor and control office activities and
tasks through timelines, resource equations, and electronic scheduling. As in data exchange,
groupware is gaining in popularity for data management. Each member of the work group or
larger group may share access to necessary information via the automated office system and
groupware.” http://www.answers.com/topic/office-automation.

Outputs
Output: Archive, SAS (Server attached storage), NAS (Network Attached Storage).
These outputs results from the data storage activity.

Output: scheduling programs, reminder system, marketing expenditures

These above outputs results from the data management activity.

Conclusion
OAS is a system which links every level of an organization. Every level uses any one computer
application at least. Office automation helps knowledge workers, managers in optimizing or
automating existing office procedures. OAS includes activities like data storage, data exchange
and data management.
 REFERENCES

Wikipedia (2009). Retrieved 29th November, 2009 from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_information_system
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_automation

Answers.com (2009). Retrieved 29th November, 2009 from

http://www.answers.com/topic/management-information-system
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_office_automation_systems.
http://www.answers.com/topic/office-automation

Answers.com (2009). Retrieved 29th November, 2009 from

http://www.bestpricecomputers.co.uk/glossary/management-information-system.htm
PDF: Comptroller's Handbook
Management Information Systems

Kendal & Kendal (2002). Systems analysis & design (5th Ed). New Jersey: Pearson Education,
Inc.