CHARACTERISTICS OF MANAGEMENT  INFORMATION SYSTEM 

It is important to note here that Management Information System captures data and information from the environment as well as the transactions and operations of the system. Data have to be  obtained both from the internal environment like internal operations (marketing, production, finance and other functional areas) as well as from the external environment like competitors, unions, labour force, government policies, legal considerations, suppliers, customers, society, market etc. The internal information  is generated from the  operations of the organisation at various management levels in the  various functional areas. The information gets  processed within an  organisation as it travels from the clerical level to  the top levels of management. That is, the internal information always pertains to the various operational units of the organisation and  gets summarised and processed  as it gets from lower level to the top level. Only summarised internal information is consumed at the top level and other internal information is consumed by lower and middle level managers. The external information  which is from the environment affects the performance of the organisation from outside.  

Two basic approaches possible to  Management Information System in any organisation are:

 i)  Organisational functional sub-systems like marketing, production, materials, personnel and finance.

 ii)  Processing activity sub-system at four different levels:

            a)   Transaction processing  (Clerical staff) 

            b)   Operational control  (Junior level managers) 

            c)   Management control  (Middle level managers)

            d)   Strategic planning  (Top level managers)  

 The major processing functions in Management Information System are:

•  Processing of business transaction 
•  Updating of master files 
•  Generation of information reports
•  Processing of interactive enquiries 
•  Providing interaction analytical support  

Information systems could be of two different types, i.e., structured and unstructured. Formalisation and publicisation of information lead to structuredness in information processing activity. Information systems could also be characterised as formal and informal. Formal  systems follow the hierarchical structure of the organisation, whereas systems where unauthorised people pass on public or private information from one level to another level are calledinformal systems. MIS can also be classified according to function and  time frame (i.e., for historical, control and planning purposes). As discussed in the "Communicating" function of managers in preavious unit, much information flowing in an  organisation is informal. Any formalised information system operates within the context of the informal information channel or interpersonal networking called "grapevine". 

Seven important characteristics or attributes of quality information from an effective Management Information System are timeliness, accuracy, precision, completeness, conciseness, relevance and appropriateness of form. 

Information systems could be of two different types, i.e., structured and unstructured. Formalisation and publicisation of information lead to structuredness in information processing activity. Information systems could also be characterised as formal and informal. Formal  systems follow the hierarchical structure of the organisation, whereas systems where unauthorised people pass on public or private information from one level to another level are called informal systems. MIS can also be classified according to function and  time frame (i.e., for historical, control and planning purposes). As discussed in the "Communicating" function of managers in preavious unit, much information flowing in an  organisation is informal. Any formalised information system operates within the context of the informal information channel or interpersonal networking called "grapevine". Seven important characteristics or attributes of quality information from an effective Management Information System are timeliness, accuracy, precision, completeness, conciseness, relevance and appropriateness of form. 

Information systems could be of two different types, i.e., structured and unstructured. Formalisation and publicisation of information lead to structuredness in information processing activity. Information systems could also be characterised as formal and informal. Formal  systems follow the hierarchical structure of the organisation, whereas systems where unauthorised people pass on public or private information from one level to another level are called informal systems. MIS can also be classified according to function and  time frame (i.e., for historical, control and planning purposes). As discussed in the "Communicating" function of managers in previous unit, much information flowing in an  organisation is informal. Any formalised information system operates within the context of the informal information channel or interpersonal networking called "grapevine". Seven important characteristics or attributes of quality information from an effective Management Information System are timeliness, accuracy, precision, completeness, conciseness, relevance and appropriateness of form. and no data redundancy.