1. Management Information System MIS

2.  An MIS is a decision support system in which the form of input query and response is pre-determined.  Summarised from an information system. It is used where management want to ask the same questions but about different subjects.  Examples: List the top ten stores for sales this month, by, product type, together with last month’s data and % change.

3.  How does this help management? It helps them review their flagship stores (top ten) and re-evaluate their stock, the layout and price. Flagship stores are used to set the precedent for all other stores to follow, therefore if something is not working in a flag ship store it needs to be addressed before it hits the smaller stores.

4.  For a typical grocery store (Tesco): List this month’s average sales by day of week and by product type.  How does this help management? This would help store management plan the staff needed at different times, also help them understand their sales: it might show that groceries sell best on Fridays, wines and spirits on Saturdays and home improvement (DIY) items on Sunday.

5. Benefits  Probably the most obvious benefit of MIS is it's ease of use. Senior management can use it as most of its complexities are hidden and answers are provided as both tables and graphics and for import into spreadsheets for flexibility.  An MIS also typically provides answers very quickly as all the data is already at hand.

6. Criteria For an MIS to be effective it must meet certain criteria.  Accuracy: it must be accurate as must the information that feeds it.  Sustainability: the information must be reliably available, week by week and month by month.

7.  Consistent timelines: this is when information is displayed by a time period, it needs to be consistent, for example: for a store that is open 24 hours a day, it needs to be decided when the day’s sales start, at midnight or at 04.00.  Confidence: the users must have confidence in the MIS for it to be used. Any faults found with the data, process or computer system must be put right quickly otherwise the system will not be used.