An 'MIS' is a planned system of the collecting, processing, storing and disseminating data in the form of information needed to carry

out the functions of management. In a way it is a documented report of the activities those were planned and executed. According to Philip Kotler "A marketing information system consists of people, equipment, and procedures to gather, sort, analyze, evaluate, and distribute needed, timely, and accurate information to marketing decision makers." [3] The terms MIS and information system are often confused. Information systems include systems that are not intended for decision making. The area of study called MIS is sometimes referred to, in a restrictive sense, as information technology management. That area of study should not be confused with computer science. IT service management is a practitioner-focused discipline. MIS has also some differences with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) as ERP incorporates elements that are not necessarily focused on decision support. Professor Allen S. Lee states that "...research in the information systems field examines more than the technological system, or just the social system, or even the two side by side; in addition, it investigates the phenomena that emerge when the two interact." [4 At the start, in businesses and other organizations, internal reporting was made manually and only periodically, as a by-product of the accounting system and with some additional statistic(s), and gave limited and delayed information on management performance. Previously, data had to be separated individually by the people as per the requirement and necessity of the organization.Later, data and information was distinguished and instead of the collection of mass of data , important and to the point data that is needed by the organization and was stored. In their infancy, business computers were used for the practical business of computing the payroll and keeping track of accounts payable and accounts receivable As applications were developed that provided managers with information about sales, inventories, and other data that would help in managing the enterprise, the term "MIS" arose to describe these kinds of applications. Today, the term is used broadly in a number of contexts and includes (but is not limited to): decision support systems, resource and people management applications, project management and database retrieval application. more at http://www.citehr.com/31966-management-information-systemreports.html#ixzz1Vjrd0Neg

Planning of information systems: Many organizations have purchased computers for data processing and for meeting the statutory requirements of filling the returns and reports to the government. Computers are used mainly for computing and accounting the business transactions and have not been considered as tool for information processing. The organizations have invested on computers and expanded its use by adding more or bigger computers to take care of the numerous transactions in the business. In this approach, the information processing function of the computers in the organization never got its due regard as an important asset to the organization. In fact, this function is misinterpreted as data processing for expeditious generation of reports and returns, and not as information processing for management action and decisions. However, the scene has been changing since late eighties when the computers become more versatile, in the function of storage, communication, intelligence and language. The computer technology is so advanced that the barriers of storage, distance understanding of language and speed are broken. In short, we need a management information system flexible enough to deal with the changing information needs of the organization. It should be conceived as an open system continuously interacting with the business environment with a built-in mechanism to provide the desired information as per the new requirements of the management. The designing as such in open system is a complex task. It can be achieved only if the MIS is planned, keeping in view, the plan of the business management of the organization. Development of information systems: Once the plan of MIS is made, the development of the MIS calls for determining for the strategy of development. As discussed earlier, the plan consists of various systems and sub systems. The development strategy determines where to begin and what sequence the development can take place with the sole objective of assuring the information support. The choice of the system or the sub-system depends on its position in the total MIS plan, the size of the system, the user understands of the systems and the complexity and its interface with other systems. The designer first develops systems independently and starts integrating them with other systems, enlarging the system scope and meeting the varying information needs. Determining the position of the position of the system in the MIS is easy. The real problem is the degree of structure, and formalization in the system and procedures which determine the timing and duration of development of the system.

here are six major types of information systems: Transaction processing systems (TPS) A transaction processing system (TPS) helps in conducting the daily routine activities like sales order entry such as Airline reservations, payroll etc. Office systems Some of the tasks involved in the administration of an office are storage of data, manipulation of data, documentation, communication etc. To increase the efficiency of these activities various word processors, image processors, telecommunications systems, networks are adopted. These constitute the office systems. Knowledge based systems (KBS) KBS is a system that represents knowledge. Abundant information is available today. These in formation are representatives of various fact and figures. These constitute knowledge base. They system adopted is capable of quick data acquisition and interpretation of the data which is necessary in decision making. This system is used as an expert to give expert advice on various subject matters and of time as a consultant. Such a system is known as knowledge based system. Decision support system (DSS) Managers are usually faced with challenges which are unstructured. The problems they face are normally under situations involving uncertainties and risks. Decision making becomes very difficult under such situations. A system which provides solutions to such problems is known as decision support system (DSS). Management Reporting Systems (MRS) Management reporting system (MRS) helps the management in decision-making by providing them with reports and different statistical tools. Executive support systems Executive support systems helps the senior executives in the organization in decision making through advanced graphics and communication. Different kinds of information systems serve different levels in an organization. Each level of system and its sub system is views differently depending upon the following levels of classification. Operation-level systems help the managers in keeping track of the daily routine activities. For example - recording daily sales placing orders knowledgelevel system from the workstations and office systems in an organization with help in including the latest technology in the working of the organization. For example, preparing displays for advertisements. Management-level systems help in administrative activities and decision-making of the managers. For example, the monthly sales figures by territory.

Business decisions are those, which are made in the process of conducting business to achieve its objectives in a given environment. In concept, whether we are looking about business decision or any other decision, we assume that the decision-maker is a rational person. The major characteristics of the business decision-making are: a) Sequential in nature. b) Exceedingly complex due to risks and trade offs. c) Influenced by personal values d) Made in institutional settings and business environment. The business decision-making is sequential in nature. In business, the decision is not isolated events. Each of them has a relation to same other decision or situation. The decision may appear as snap decision but it is made only after a long chain of developments and a series of related earlier decisions. The decision-making process is a complex process in the higher hierarchy of management. The complexity is the result of many factors, such as the inter-relationship among the experts or decision-makers, a job responsibility, a question of feasibility, the codes of morals and ethics, and probable impact and business. The personal values of the decision-maker play a major role in decision-making. A decision otherwise being very sound on the business principle and economic rationality may be rejected on the basis of the personal values, which are defeated if such a decision is implemented. The culture, the discipline and the individuals commitment to goals will decide the progress and success of the decision. Whatever may be situation, if are analyses the factors under laying the decision-making process, it would be observed that there are common characteristics in each of them. There is a definite method of arriving at a decision; and it can be put in the form of decision process mode. The decision-making process required creativity, imagination and a deep understanding of human behaviour. The process covers number of tangible and intangible factors affecting the decision-making process. It also requires a foresight to predict the postdecision implications and a willingness to face those implications. All decision solves a problem but over a period of time they give rise to a number of other problems.