Answer:
The discipline of MIS is in its evolutionary stage. MIS is a concept, which is a matter of degree rather than an absolute one. In management, there are perhaps few other areas other than MIS which have evoked such a controversy. Over the years, it has evolved from an elementary concept to an advanced discipline of today. Following are the points of MIS classification:
- Operation Support Systems: As and when they take place in an organization, data, which is by- product of a transaction, is generated. Also, business operations are carried out using data. In order to process such data, information systems are required, which are called operations support systems. These systems produce various types of information products for internal and external use. However, such systems do not lay emphasis on producing the specific information products that can be used by the managers. Following are a brief description of various forms of operations support systems:
- Transaction Processing Systems: As the name indicates, transaction processing system (TPS) records and process data, and produces reports. It represents the automation of the fundamental, routine processing used to support business operations. It does not provide any information to the user for his/her decision making. These systems process transactions either in batch processing or in real time processing.
- Process Control Systems: The systems which monitor and control physical process physical are known as process control system (PCS). For example, pharmaceutical manufacturing company uses electronic sensors linked to computers to monitor chemical processes and make the required adjustments.
- Office Automation Systems: Office automation refers to the application of computer and communication technology to office functions. Office automation systems are meant to improve the productivity of managers at various levels of management by providing secretarial assistance and better communication facilities.
- Management Support Systems: MSS are the information system’ applications that focus on providing information and decision support for effective decision-making by managers. There are various types of information systems that support a variety of decision making process. Following are a brief description of various forms of management support systems:
- Decision Support Systems: A decision support systems (DSS) is an information system application that assist decision making. DSS tends to be used in planning, analysis alternatives, and trial and error search for solutions. Such systems are generallyoperated through terminal based interactive dialogues with users. They incorporate a variety of decision models and thus are capable of performing ‘What-if’ analysis for managers. Here is a simple Model of DSS for our better understanding.
- Executive Support Systems: Executive support system (ESS) is widely known as Executive Information System (EIS) also. ESS is an extension of management information system, which is a special kind of DSS and provides critical information from various inter and intra sources in easy to use displays. An ESS is specially tailored for the use of chief executive of an organization to support his decision-making.
- Business Expert Systems: Business expert systems (BES), which are based on artificial intelligence (AI), are advanced information systems. Artificial intelligence may be referred to as the capability that makes computers display intelligent, human like behavior. Below given diagram can give you a better understanding of the concept.
- General Support Systems: The above mentioned categories of information systems have been defined on the basis of their role in operations and management of a business. However, there are many other applications of information systems which fall in both categories, as they provide support in operations as well as managing of the business. Following are few examples of IS forms:
- Strategic Information Systems: Strategic information systems (SIS) apply information technology to the products, services or business processes of an organization to help the organization gain a strategic advantage over its competitor. Thus SIS can be any kind of IS that uses IT to help an organization gain competitive advantages.
- Knowledge Management Systems: Knowledge management systems (KMS) are IS those are knowledge based and, thus, support creation, organization and dissemination of business knowledge to managers and other employees of the organization. Here is a channel diagram for KMS.
The classification of MIS is depicted in Figure below:
