1. Lesson 9: Types of information system

2. Introduction  An MIS is a decision support system in which the form of input query and response is predetermined.  It is often summarised from an information system. It is used where management want to ask the same question frequently, though perhaps about different subjects. Here are two typical questions:  List the top ten stores for sales this month, by product type, together with last month’s data and the percentage change. (This would help management review their flagship stores.)  For a particular store, list this month’s average sales by day of week and by product type. (This would help store management plan the staff needed at different times. It could also help them understand their sales – for example, it might show that groceries sell best on Fridays; wines, beers and spirits on Saturdays; and home improvement items on Sundays.)  There are many different types of information system. This presentation shall explain these.  An MIS is a decision support system in which the form of input query and response is predetermined.  It is often summarised from an information system. It is used where management want to ask the same question frequently, though perhaps about different subjects. Here are two typical questions:  List the top ten stores for sales this month, by product type, together with last month’s data and the percentage change. (This would help management review their flagship stores.)  For a particular store, list this month’s average sales by day of week and by product type. (This would help store management plan the staff needed at different times. It could also help them understand their sales – for example, it might show that groceries sell best on Fridays; wines, beers and spirits on Saturdays; and home improvement items on Sundays.)  There are many different types of information system. This presentation shall explain these.

3. Management Information System (MIS)  A management information system (MIS) is a set of systems and procedures that gather information from a range of sources, compile it and present it in a readable format.  Managers use an MIS to create reports that provide them with a detailed overview of all the information they need to make decisions ranging from daily tasks to top-level strategy.  The main purpose of a MIS is to make managers' decision-making more efficient and productive. By pooling information from a range of sources into a single database and presenting the information in a logical format, an MIS can give managers everything they need to make highly informed decisions and perform in-depth analysis of business issues.  An MIS can collect nearly any type of information needed. They can show financial data such as revenue and expenses and attribute them to specific departments or groups. Performance indicators such as the timeliness of projects or the quality of products coming off an assembly line can help managers pinpoint areas of needed improvement. Staff can manage schedules for work shifts, incoming deliveries and outgoing shipments from any place linked to the MIS.  A management information system can help collaboration and communication as well. Employees can edit and share documents and communicate information on anticipated developments and warnings across the organisation.  A management information system (MIS) is a set of systems and procedures that gather information from a range of sources, compile it and present it in a readable format.  Managers use an MIS to create reports that provide them with a detailed overview of all the information they need to make decisions ranging from daily tasks to top-level strategy.  The main purpose of a MIS is to make managers' decision-making more efficient and productive. By pooling information from a range of sources into a single database and presenting the information in a logical format, an MIS can give managers everything they need to make highly informed decisions and perform in-depth analysis of business issues.  An MIS can collect nearly any type of information needed. They can show financial data such as revenue and expenses and attribute them to specific departments or groups. Performance indicators such as the timeliness of projects or the quality of products coming off an assembly line can help managers pinpoint areas of needed improvement. Staff can manage schedules for work shifts, incoming deliveries and outgoing shipments from any place linked to the MIS.  A management information system can help collaboration and communication as well. Employees can edit and share documents and communicate information on anticipated developments and warnings across the organisation.

4. Marketing Analysis and Competitor analysis  Many of the fist examples of information systems were in marketing and sales.  Sales performance : If a business could identify where and why its sales were increasing, then it could apply those conditions elsewhere with the same effect. For example, a retail chain might run an advertising campaign or a reduced price offer in one shop or a small number of shops. An information system could identify how successful this was. A chain of shops or hotels could have a programme of refurbishing their properties. An information system could show how successful this programme was in increasing business.  Competitors : Typical competitive activities include selling competing products, opening competing stores and reducing prices. As competitors introduce these changes, an information system can show what effect these changes have. A business can also make similar changes specifically to compete and the system could identify the effect of these changes.  Many of the fist examples of information systems were in marketing and sales.  Sales performance : If a business could identify where and why its sales were increasing, then it could apply those conditions elsewhere with the same effect. For example, a retail chain might run an advertising campaign or a reduced price offer in one shop or a small number of shops. An information system could identify how successful this was. A chain of shops or hotels could have a programme of refurbishing their properties. An information system could show how successful this programme was in increasing business.  Competitors : Typical competitive activities include selling competing products, opening competing stores and reducing prices. As competitors introduce these changes, an information system can show what effect these changes have. A business can also make similar changes specifically to compete and the system could identify the effect of these changes.

5. Human Resources (HR)  Human resources departments often produce a lot of analyses and so may have an information system to help them.  Staffing : One of the goals of an organisation may be to have the right number of people doing the right work with the right skills. An information system can identify staff and skill shortages and excesses. It can also identify staff turnover, age, gender and experience profiles.  Professional development : This is an extension from staffing – it covers the organisation’s needs, staff training, and skills and experience for professional development. Analysis of this can identify suitable candidates for jobs and potential training opportunities for staff.  Human resources departments often produce a lot of analyses and so may have an information system to help them.  Staffing : One of the goals of an organisation may be to have the right number of people doing the right work with the right skills. An information system can identify staff and skill shortages and excesses. It can also identify staff turnover, age, gender and experience profiles.  Professional development : This is an extension from staffing – it covers the organisation’s needs, staff training, and skills and experience for professional development. Analysis of this can identify suitable candidates for jobs and potential training opportunities for staff.

6. Financial Information System  Once a business has an information system to help manage income or revenue, the next area to address is often expenditure or costs.  Financial costs : Spreadsheets can be used to help manage regular costs. However, information systems will more easily find trends and unusual patterns. Typical questions they could answer are:  Do costs regularly surge or drop at the start or end of the year?  Which over-spends are gradual?  Which are caused by one large unexpected or excessive item?  Investment returns : A bank or investment company wants to understand its portfolio of investments. Some investments are high risk but potentially high return. Some are low risk but with low return. Some offer no return at all, but increase the capital value of the investment. An information system will help identify the investments that fall into each category.  Once a business has an information system to help manage income or revenue, the next area to address is often expenditure or costs.  Financial costs : Spreadsheets can be used to help manage regular costs. However, information systems will more easily find trends and unusual patterns. Typical questions they could answer are:  Do costs regularly surge or drop at the start or end of the year?  Which over-spends are gradual?  Which are caused by one large unexpected or excessive item?  Investment returns : A bank or investment company wants to understand its portfolio of investments. Some investments are high risk but potentially high return. Some are low risk but with low return. Some offer no return at all, but increase the capital value of the investment. An information system will help identify the investments that fall into each category.

7. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)  CRM is an type of information system that manages a company's interactions with current and future customers by organizing and co-ordinating sales and marketing, providing better customer services along with technical support.  A CRM is used:  To keep track of all present and future customers.  To identify and target the best customers.  To let the customers know about the existing new products and services.  To provide real-time and personalized services based on the needs, wants and habits of the existing customers.  To provide superior service and consistent customer experience.  To implement a feed-back system.  CRM is an type of information system that manages a company's interactions with current and future customers by organizing and co-ordinating sales and marketing, providing better customer services along with technical support.  A CRM is used:  To keep track of all present and future customers.  To identify and target the best customers.  To let the customers know about the existing new products and services.  To provide real-time and personalized services based on the needs, wants and habits of the existing customers.  To provide superior service and consistent customer experience.  To implement a feed-back system.

8. Decision Support System  All information systems support decision making, but decision support systems are expressly designed for this purpose.  A decision support system (DSS) is a computer program application that analyses business data and presents it so that users can make business decisions more easily.  The primary objective of DSS’s s is to analyse large pools of data, gathered over long periods of time in data warehouses (large databases), in a process known as data mining.  Typical information that a decision support application might gather and present would be:  Comparative sales figures between one week and the next.  Projected revenue figures based on new product sales assumptions.  The consequences of different decision alternatives, given past experience in a context that is described.  A decision support system may present information graphically and may include an expert system or artificial intelligence (AI). It may be aimed at business executives or some other group of knowledge workers.  All information systems support decision making, but decision support systems are expressly designed for this purpose.  A decision support system (DSS) is a computer program application that analyses business data and presents it so that users can make business decisions more easily.  The primary objective of DSS’s s is to analyse large pools of data, gathered over long periods of time in data warehouses (large databases), in a process known as data mining.  Typical information that a decision support application might gather and present would be:  Comparative sales figures between one week and the next.  Projected revenue figures based on new product sales assumptions.  The consequences of different decision alternatives, given past experience in a context that is described.  A decision support system may present information graphically and may include an expert system or artificial intelligence (AI). It may be aimed at business executives or some other group of knowledge workers.