Introduction to Management Information Systems

What is Management Information Systems (MIS)?

A management information system (MIS) is a computer system consisting of hardware

and software that serves as the backbone of an organization’s operations. An MIS

gathers data from multiple online systems, analyzes the information, and reports data to

aid in management decision-making.

MIS is also the study of how such systems work.

Improved Decision-Making

The purpose of an MIS is improved decision-making, by providing up-to-date, accurate

data on a variety of organizational assets, including:

Financials

Inventory

Personnel

Project timelines

Manufacturing

Real estate

Marketing

Raw materials

R&D

The MIS collects the data, stores it, and makes it accessible to managers who want to

analyze the data by running reports.

Central Information System

The goal of an MIS is to be able to correlate multiple data points in order to strategize

ways to improve operations. For example, being able to compare sales this month to

sales a year ago by looking at staffing levels may point to ways to boost revenue. Or

being able to compare marketing expenditures by geographic location and link them to

sales can also improve decision-making. But the only way this level of analysis is

possible is due to data that is compiled through an MIS.

Introduction to Management Information Systems

Management Information Systems