Management information System is described as an information system which ensures a consistent provision of reports that are used in managerial monitoring and control of resources, functions, or other responsibility regarding an organization. Information that are provided by management information system are used in managing a sector or firm effectively and efficient. Contrary to other information systems, management information systems analyze and facilitate strategic and operation activities.
Management Information Systems assist the personnel to effectively plan, design, manage, as well as use information systems resources in supporting information needs of an organization. However, professional and managers within every organization should be equipped with the roles and nature of information technologies that are essential to the running of the organization effectively. Moreover, they should be equipped with computer application basic knowledge and appreciations that are of significance to proper functioning of organization as well as web application, databases, and web application.
Accessing data and the capacity to organize, process, as well as manipulate it, assist in creating the type of information that is important to complete a productive work. These organizations rely on information that they use in supporting their management, operation, and staff. Employee and supervisors as well depend substantially on information in terms of performing their work and carrying out planning and monitoring organizational tasks and services for which they perform. The requirement is to transmit information to others in the organization, to clients, to the public and to other organizations.
Success of an organization will always depend on customers and clients receiving accurate information. In the government, nonprofit, health care, as well as other sectors, the complexity in terms of relation among departments, levels, and units, makes information storage, retrieval, and transmission to be critical factors in achieving a desired productivity. Therefore, information definitely forms the . These to be an essential managerial function. Other critical managerial functions are in planning, designing, and supporting the needed systems in delivering information to organizational stakeholders in a timely manner.
In terms of management information systems supports such as monitoring and control system, four element are involved: A) a process: There are some kind of process within the core of the system that turns inputs into outputs. Like, in the case of public sector training project which aim at providing new skills for the unemployed, (Richard Heeks, 1998). Such project turns inputs of staff labor, equipment and money to a level of outputs skilled individuals who have undergone training through process of training delivery. B) a monitoring mechanism: The mechanism tends to the outputs from the process. In this case, the information to be gathered is about the number of trained people as well as the extent of their new skills within the training project. C) a comparison mechanism: It compares the collected information regarding current performance with previous information from the targets, benchmarks, set plans among others. Such distinct information signifies the information needs of the monitoring and control system. Like, it will compare information on with skill gain targets. The name given to this system is evaluation mechanism. D) a control mechanism: It decides upon hence guide implementation of corrective action as derived from comparison output. Like in the case where skill levels produced through training becomes lower than it was in the expectation, changes to the location or method of training can be decided upon and then implemented. Therefore this support of monitoring and control provided through Management Information System represents a feedback loop, which provide avenue for feeding back information regarding a later stage into control of an earlier stage.
Conclusion
Although there has been short existence of Management Information System within the public affairs, their use and importance have significantly grown and probably will keep on growing. Generally their aim is to keep under control the size and cost incurred within a public sector.
Reference
Richard Heeks, (1998). “Public Sector Management Information System” Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester. Retrieved April 2, 2013 from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/untc/unpan003962.htm
