COMPONENTS OF MIS

As it has been defined by LOOIJEN, M, Management Information Systems (MIS) is

all hardware with the relevant basic software and application software, dataset
and people involved into producing information for the purpose of right decision
making. 17
16 SPROUT, A., The Internet inside Your Company, Fortune, November 27,
1995, pp.161-162
17 2nd
MURDICK G, JOEL E. Ross and James R: Information Systems for Modern
Management, Edition, McGraw
Hill 2006, p.14
In other words, MIS is a set of five following components: Hardware, Software,
Data, Procedures and People necessary to produce information, useful for
decision making. This can be presented into the follow drawing:
Figure 3: Management Information Systems (MIS) Components

INFORMATION
DECISION
MAKING
Source: MURDICK, G. (2006, 16)
1.3.1. HARDWARE
1.3.1.1. Definition of the hardware
Hardware is the mechanical and electronic parts that constitute a computer

system, as distinguished from the computer programs (Software) that drive the
system. The main hardware elements are the Central Processing Unit, Disk or
magnetic tape data storage devices, Cathode-Ray Tube display terminals,
keyboards, and Printers.18
18 STEWART, THOMAS, What Information Costs, Fortune, July 10, 1995, pp.86
1.3.1.2. Computer Hardware
A computer is a machine that can be programmed to accept data (input), process
it into useful information (output), and store it away (in secondary storage
devise) for safekeeping or later reuse. Equipment associated to that computer is
called hardware and consist of the central processing unit, primary storage,
secondary storage, input devices, output devices, and communications devices.
Figure 4: Hardware components of a computer system.19
Source: HAAG, S. (2000, p121)

Central
Processing Unit (CPU)
Input devices:
Keyboard
Computer mouse
Touch screen
Source data
Communications

Devices
Secondary storage:
Output devices:
Magnetic disk
Optical disk
Magnetical tape
Printers
Video display
terminals
Plotters
Storage
Primary
- Central Processing Unit (CPU)
The CPU is at the heart of all computers. All data passes through it.
The CPU is the computing part of the computer. Also called the processor, it is
made up of the control unit and ALU. Today, the CPUs of almost all computers are
contained on a single chip. The CPU, clock and main memory make up a
computer.
19 HAAG, S. Information Technology: Tomorrow's Advantage Today, McGrawHill, New York, 1996, p37

Micro, or personal, computers use microprocessors that run at approximately 500

megahertz per second. Mainframe computers measure their speed in millions of
instructions per second.
- Random Access Memory
Random access memory (RAM) consists of microchips that allow for the
temporary storage of data. RAM functions as the workspace for the CPU. The
"workspace" temporarily holds the program and the active calculation before
deriving an outcome. One example would be using a word processor's spelling
check tool on a document. The words being checked and the program would be
temporarily stored in RAM.
- Input Devices
Computers receive information from a variety of sources. The most common
input device is a keyboard, but the pointing device (mouse or trackball) is equally
important with today's GUI interface. Other input devices include video cameras,
scanners, microphones, digital cameras, CD-ROMs, and voice commands that
operate the computer.
Figure 5: Input devices

Sources: STEWART, T. (1995, pp.125)

- Output Devices
The computer monitor is an output device that is changing rapidly. For several
decades computer screens only displayed letters or numbers onto a green or
amber screen. As computers began using GUIs, the display device took on
greater significance. The success of Apple's Macintosh computer with the
graphical user interface caused Microsoft to come out with their GUI, called the
Windows Operating System. Thus, all current operating systems use GUI and
color for both print and images.
The standard monitor for many years has been a cathode-ray tube (CRT). CRT
monitors are still very common, and they are capable of high-quality pictures.

However, they are inherently bulky and relatively heavy. Portable computers
became possible only when smaller and lighter-weight and display units became
available. Current portable or laptop computers use LCD (liquid crystal display)
panels, which are flat. LCD panels are now also being used for desktop monitors.
LCD units cost about three times what comparable CRT units do, but they occupy
far less space and have a very bright picture.
Computer projectors are commonly used to display data or information onto a
large screen. This setup can be used to demonstrate programs, provide visuals
for training, or show Web sites to large groups of people. Many businesspeople
travel with both a portable computer and a computer projector to visually display
information for training or to aid in sales.
The GUI and the general popularity of computers have caused significant
changes in the hardware available for printing. The earliest printers were
essentially automatic typewriters and had little flexibility. Today, there are wide
variety of printers currently available that are capable of nearly professionalquality output.
Laser printers, which first became available in the early 1980s, had an inherent
advantage over earlier computer printers; that is, the laser beam could place tiny
ink dots
anywhere on the page. In practice, this means that laser printers can print fonts
of any
size or typeface. Further, they can print text in any direction and also print
pictures. Current laser printers print at a very crisp 1200 dots per square inch and
are considered to be very reliable. Color laser printers are also available, though
they are much slower and also more expensive than black-and-white printers.
Ink-jet printers essentially spray ink onto the paper. They are normally very quiet,
are relatively inexpensive, and have high-quality output. Further, all the newest
ink-jet printers offer reasonably high-quality color printing. Both the in creased
use of the Internet to download color pictures and the prevalence of digital
cameras have significantly increased the popularity of color ink-jet printers.
Figure 6: Output devices

Source: STEWART, T. (1995, pp.129)

- Connection Devices
Partially because of the popularity of the Internet, more and more computers of
all kinds have some means of connecting to other computers. For desktop
computers in schools and businesses, a network interface card (NIC) is frequently
used. Portable computers and home desktop units typically use a modem as a
connection device. Modems connect a personal or portable computer to dial-up
networks through a regular telephone line. This connectivity has served as a
boon to telecommuting and changed the way work is
performed in organizations. Modems and NICs can serve as both input and output
devices, depending on whether the computer is receiving or sending information.
- Sound Cards and Speakers
Today, any multi-media computer contains a device to reproduce sound. Typically
this means that computers have a sound card that contains a mini-amplifier and
connects to speakers. Sounds can also come from programs, from the Internet,
and from participants in desktop teleconferences. A sound card can also function
as an input device when it utilizes a microphone.
- Storage Devices
The number and size of storage devices are increasing. Floppy disks are portable,
but they can store only a relatively small amount of information compared to the
newest storage units, Zip disks, which are also portable and small. A Zip disk has
about a hundred times the storage capacity of a floppy disk. Hard drives are
internal storage devices that hold the computer's operating system, the
application software, and other files.20
1.3.1.3. Classifications and Definitions of Computers
There are three main classifications of computers: mainframe, minicomputer, and
microcomputer. The major categories can only be used as general guidelines
because of the huge variety in product lines. Computer "servers" have also been
included in this discussion because of their important role in networking and
Internet applications.

A mainframe computer is any large computer system, such as that used by the
Internal
Revenue Service. Another typical use of a mainframe computer would be for an
airline
20 STEWART, T. What Information Costs, Fortune, July 10, 1995, pp.119-121
ticketing system, which can have thousands of users connected to one computer.
The next smaller-sized computer is termed a minicomputer. It is of medium scale
and can serve up to several hundred users. The microcomputer is the smallest in
size and power, and the term is "generally synonymous with personal computer,
such as a Windows PC or Macintosh, but it can refer to any kind of small
computer". Very small computers include hand-held units and pen computers
that store information the user enters with a stylus rather than a key board.
A "server" computer is one that is used to connect a cluster of personal
computers through using a local area network (LAN). World Wide Web pages are
also stored on a "Webserver," which is typically a dedicated personal computer.
Figure 7: Classification of the computer

(1) (2) (3) (3)

Mainframe (1) Mini computer (2) (3) Desktop & Laptop PCs
Source: HAAG, S. (2000, p57)
1.3.1.4. PC technical measurement capacities
Scientists give us the following technical characteristics of a Personnel Computer
according MIS discipline's norms:
- The speed of data processing: more or equal to 1GHZ - The local disc storing
capacity: more or equal to 10GB - The temporally Memory (essentially RAM):
more or equal to 100MB

1.3.2. SOFTWARE
The software is the set of instructions that cause a computer to perform one or
more tasks. The set of instructions is often called a program or, if the set is
particularly large and complex, a system. Computers cannot do any useful work
without instructions from software; thus a combination of software and hardware
(the computer) is necessary to do any computerized work. A program must tell
the computer each of a set of minuscule tasks to perform, in a framework of
logic, such that the computer knows exactly what to do and when to do it.
There are two major types of software: system software and application software.
Each kind performs a different function.
1.3.2.1. The System Software
System software is a set of generalized programs that manage the computer's
resources, such as the central processor, communications links, and peripheral
devices.
1.3.2.2. The Application Software
Application software describes programs that are written for or by users to apply
the computer to a specific task. Software for processing an order or generating a
mailing list is application software.21
21 LAUDON, K. and LAUDON, J.P. : Management Information Systems, PrenticeHall of India: New Delhi, 1999, pp.127
1.3.3. DATA 1.3.3.1. Definition
Data must be distinguished from information (as defined before), and this
distinction is clear and important for our purposes. Data are facts and figures that
are not currently being used in a decision process and usually take the form of
historical records that are recorded and filed without immediate intent to retrieve
for decision making. An example would be any one of the supporting documents,
ledgers, and so on that comprises the source material of profit and loss
statements. Such material would only be of historical interest to an external
auditor.

1.3.3.2. Database
The term database is perhaps one of the most overused and misunderstood
terms in today's business environment. Many of people will tell you that they
have a database, in fact, have only files. Others simply refer to a gathering of
information as a file. In reality, many of these files are probably databases.
Consider these definitions of a database:
Collection of data organized to serve many applications Collection of related files
Integrated collection of computer data
Collection of files
Superset of related files
This is why it's easy to misunderstand the database concept. Each definition
refers to a database as a collection, but describes the collection differently.
Let's adopt the following definition of a database:
A database is a collection of information that you organize and access according
to logical structure of that information.
1.3.4. PROCEDURES
A procedure is a specified series of actions or operations which have to be
executed in the same manner in order to always obtain the same result under the
same circumstances. Less precisely speaking, this word can indicate a sequence
of activities, tasks, steps, decisions, calculations and processes, that when
undertaken in the sequence laid down produces the described result, product or
outcome. A procedure usually induces a change. It is in the scientific method.22
Procedures can differ from one organization to other; it depends on the industry
in which the firm operates.
1.3.5. PEOPLE
1.3.5.1. Meaning of people in the organization

It's true that any individual who works in Human Resources must be a "people
person." Since anyone in this department deals with a number of employees, as
well as outside individuals, on any given day, a pleasant demeanor is a must.
None can talk about employee in organization and forgets to talk upon motivation
because in today's turbulent, often chaotic, environment, commercial success
depends on employees using their full talents. Yet in spite of the countless of
available theories and practices, managers often view motivation as something of
a mystery. In part this is because individuals are motivated by different things
and in different ways.23
In addition, these are times when delivering and flattening of hierarchies can
create insecurity and lower staff morale. Moreover, more staff than ever before
are working part time or on limited-term contracts, and these employees is often
especially hard to motivate.