Effective Management Information System:
Essential characteristics of an effective management information system are 1. MIS is management-oriented 2. MIS is developed under the direction of management 3. MIS is an integrated system 4. common data flow 5. MIS is based upon the future needs of the business 6. MIS is composed of sub-systems 7. MIS requires flexibility 8. distributed data processing and 9. MIS is mostly computerized.
Management Information System is established in an organization to provide relevant information to the managers to operate effectively and efficiently.
1. MIS is management-oriented:
The design of MIS starts with an appraisal of the information needs of the management. The system is usually designed from top to bottom. However, this does not mean that MIS fulfills the information needs of top management only.
It only implies that the information needs of the top management will serve as a basis for the assessment of the information needs of lower-level managers. In every case, the system should be designed to cater to the information needs of all levels of management.
2. MIS is developed under the direction of management:
Because of the management orientation of MIS, it is imperative that the management of an organization actively directs the development and establishment of the MIS in an organization.
It is rare to find an MIS where the manager himself, or a high-level representative of his department, is not spending a good deal of time in the system design.
