chapter 01

Introduction

Management and organizations facing constantly changing problems, diverse managerial styles, and ever present information needs offer a challenging context for developing computer based information systems. A management information system (MIS) is a system or process that provides information needed to manage organizations effectively. Management Information Systems (MIS) employs the integration of information technology in achieving the needs and objectives of the general workforce, managers and their organization. The development of MIS in organizations helps corporate executives in applying efficient and effective information technology-based business and economic decisions. With new trends in information technology, managers and organizations will face more advance and flexible management of organizational information. Management information systems are regarded to be a subset of the overall internal controls procedures in a business, which cover the application of people, documents, technologies, and procedures used by management accountants to solve business problems such as costing a product, service or a business-wide strategy. Academically, the term is commonly used to refer to the group of information management methods tied to the automation or support of human decision making, e.g. Decision Support Systems, Expert systems, and Executive information systems. The terms MIS and information system are often confused. MIS is sometimes referred to, in a restrictive sense, as information technology management. That area of study should not be confused with computer science. IT service management is a practitioner-focused discipline. MIS has also some differences with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) as ERP incorporates elements that are not necessarily focused on decision support. MIS uses computer technology to provide