08 Management Information Systems (MIS)

Question 1

Define a MIS.

Answer 1

“Systems that convert data from internal and external sources into information designed to support the decisions of managers.”

Question 2

Name internal sources of data that a company could use in its MIS.

Answer 2

• Sales figures
• Staff rotas
• Staff levels
• Costs
• Revenue
• Profit
• Supplier performance
• R + D
• Return of investments
• And many more

Question 3

Name external sources of data that a company could use in its MIS.

Answer 3

• Demographics of the local population
• Local employment
• Infrastructure (availability of roads, rail, etc)
• Competitors announcements
• Market research - trends, mobile phone data
• Weather patterns
• Social media profiles and trends
• Mobile phone locations

Question 4

Name factors in a good design of MIS.

Answer 4

• Input data must be accurate
• Prevents information overload - managers get only the information they need at the time they need it
• Analysis must be flexible
• Must allow speedy decisions for urgent situations
• Provide results in many different formats (charts, text, reports)
• Must be accessible to a wide range of users who have varying levels of skills and knowledge
• It should improve communications between management and employees

Question 5

Name factors in a poor design of MIS.

Answer 5

• MIS is too complicated for users
• Reports produced are too detailed and difficult to understand
• User requirements were poorly understood from the start
• System was designed ‘ad hoc’ rather than using formal methods
• IT department designed the system - users/managers weren’t consulted.
• Consultants designed the system - they don’t understand enough about the company
• Hardware specification isn’t powerful enough

Question 6

Systems that convert data from internal and external sources into information designed to support the decisions of managers is the definition of what?

Answer 6

Management Information Systems

Question 7

Sales figures are an internal source of what?

Answer 7

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 8

Staff rotas are an internal source of what?

Answer 8

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 9

Staff levels are an internal source of what?

Answer 9

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 10

Costs are an internal source of what?

Answer 10

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 11

Revenue is an internal source of what?

Answer 11

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 12

Profit is an internal source of what?

Answer 12

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 13

Supplier performance is an internal source of what?

Answer 13

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 14

R + D is an internal source of what?

Answer 14

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 15

Return on investments is an internal source of what?

Answer 15

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 16

Demographics of the local population are an external source of what?

Answer 16

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 17

Local employment is an external source of what?

Answer 17

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 18

Infrastructure (such as availability of roads and rail etc) is an external source of what?

Answer 18

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 19

Competitors announcements are an external source of what?

Answer 19

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 20

Market research (I.e. trends, mobile phone data, etc) is an external source of what?

Answer 20

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 21

Weather patterns are an external source of what?

Answer 21

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 22

Social media profiles and trends are an external source of what?

Answer 22

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 23

Mobile phone locations are an external source of what?

Answer 23

Data that a company could use in its MIS.

Question 24

Input data must be accurate is a factor in what?

Answer 24

A good design of MIS

Question 25

Prevention of information overload is a factor in what?

Answer 25

A good design of MIS

Question 26

Analysis must be flexible is a factor in what?

Answer 26

A good design of MIS

Question 27

Must allow speedy decisions for urgent situations is a factor in what?

Answer 27

A good design of MIS

Question 28

Provide results in many different formats (i.e. charts, text, reports) is a factor in what?

Answer 28

A good design of MIS

Question 29

Must be accessible to a wide range of users who have varying levels of skills and knowledge is a factor in what?

Answer 29

A good design of MIS

Question 30

It should improve communications between management and employees is a factor in what?

Answer 30

A good design of MIS

Question 31

MIS being too complicated is a factor in what?

Answer 31

A poor design of MIS

Question 32

Reports produced are too detailed and difficult to understand is a factor in what?

Answer 32

A poor design of MIS

Question 33

User requirements being poorly understood from the beginning is a factor in what?

Answer 33

A poor design of MIS

Question 34

System being designed ‘ad hoc’ rather than using formal methods is a factor in what?

Answer 34

A poor design of MIS

Question 35

IT department designed the system is a factor in what?

Answer 35

A poor design of MIS

Question 36

Consultants designed the system is a factor in what?

Answer 36

A poor design of MIS

Question 37

Hardware spec not being powerful enough is a factor in what?

Answer 37

A poor design of MIS