MIS or a 'Management Information System' does more than just an ordinary computer system does, or at least, it has a different purpose. Businesses use management information systems to inform them on how to resource their companies and initiatives in the areas of people, technology and information like statistics.
Computer systems are different in the sense that they do not have such a specific task and do not supply specific information for decision making; rather you could define them as simply an operating system that is programmed in various ways to allow for many different tasks. A 'Computer system' is a more general definition for things like MISs which have also been subdivided into smaller systems with more specific jobs.
Management Information Systems are used primarily as tools to analyze other areas of the company in an effort to save money and become more efficient. These systems came from simple manual efforts created to keep track of payroll for example. They started to gather information from other departments and use it to create reports on performance and expenditure. As systems became more sophisticated and computerized, they developed into the tools they are today allowing for employees to see what the company personnel are spending money on and which departments are achieving more than others.
Also, with the advances in technology, which have come a long way since these processes became computerized in the 60's; this analytical information can be uploaded and stored on national servers so that managers no longer have to be in one specific location to access the information. Rather this virtually stored data and information can be drawn upon from anywhere in the world via internet 'cloud systems', the next step in MIS.
- The difference when compared to normal systems
Computer systems are different in the sense that they do not have such a specific task and do not supply specific information for decision making; rather you could define them as simply an operating system that is programmed in various ways to allow for many different tasks. A 'Computer system' is a more general definition for things like MISs which have also been subdivided into smaller systems with more specific jobs.
- The purposes of an MIS
Management Information Systems are used primarily as tools to analyze other areas of the company in an effort to save money and become more efficient. These systems came from simple manual efforts created to keep track of payroll for example. They started to gather information from other departments and use it to create reports on performance and expenditure. As systems became more sophisticated and computerized, they developed into the tools they are today allowing for employees to see what the company personnel are spending money on and which departments are achieving more than others.
Also, with the advances in technology, which have come a long way since these processes became computerized in the 60's; this analytical information can be uploaded and stored on national servers so that managers no longer have to be in one specific location to access the information. Rather this virtually stored data and information can be drawn upon from anywhere in the world via internet 'cloud systems', the next step in MIS.
