Management information systems (MIS) refer to one of the 3 kinds of information systems for planning, controlling and monitoring functions for structured decisions, that is, alongside operations support systems and management support systems.
Operations support systems
They support business processes and operations. They produce a variety of information products. Divided into three;
o Transaction processing systems; process data of various transactions, update operational database & produce business documents. Example, sales & inventory processing and accounting systems
o Process control systems; monitor and control industrial processes. Examples: petroleum refining, power generation, and steel production systems
o Enterprise collaboration systems; support team, work-group and enterprise communications and collaboration. Examples: e-mail, chat, and videoconferencing groupware systems
Management support systems
These provide information & support for decision making by all types of managers & business professionals (complex tax). Divided into 3 types
o Management Information Systems: provided information in a form of pre-specified reports and displays to support business decision making. Examples: sales analysis, production performance and cost trend reporting system.
o Decision support systems: provide interactive ad hoc (unplanned) support for the decision-making processes of managers and other professionals. Examples: product pricing, profitability forecasting and risk analysis systems
o Executive information systems: provide critical information from many sources tailored to the information needs of executives. Examples: systems for easy access to analyses of business performance, actions of competitors, and economic developments to support strategic planning.
Other categories of information systems
o Expert Systems: Knowledge-based systems that provide expert advice and act as expert consultants to users. Examples: credit application advisor, process monitor, and diagnostic maintenance systems
o Knowledge management systems: knowledge based systems that support the creation, organisation, and dissemination of business knowledge within the enterprise. Examples: intranet access to best business practices, sales proposal strategies and customer resolution systems
o Strategic information systems: support operations or management processes that provide a firm with strategic products, services, and capabilities for competitive advantage. Example: online stock trading, shipment tracking, and e-commerce web systems
o Functional business systems: support a variety of operational and managerial applications of the basic business functions of a company. Examples: information systems that support applications in accounting, finance, marketing, operations management, and human resource management
Management Information Systems (MIS) refer to all of the computing systems in the organisation that support management. MIS refers to a field of study that fuses computer technology with business applications.