INFORMATION SYSTEM

A combination of hardware, software, infrastructure and trained personnel

organized to facilitate planning, control, coordination, and decision making in an
organization.
An information system (IS) refers to a collection of multiple pieces of
equipment involved in the dissemination of information. Hardware, software,
computer system connections and information, information system users, and the
systems housing are all part of an IS.
An information system (IS) is any organized system for the collection,
organization, storage and communication of information. More specifically, it is the
study of complementary networks that people and organizations use to collect,
filter, process, create and distribute data.
"An information system (IS) is a group of components that interact to produce
information."[1]
A computer information system is a system composed of people and
computers that processes or interprets information.[2][3][4][5] The term is also
sometimes used in more restricted senses to refer to only the software used to run
a computerized database or to refer to only a computer system.
Information systems is an academic study of systems with a specific
reference to information and the complementary networks of hardware and
software that people and organizations use to collect, filter, process, create and also
distribute data. An emphasis is placed on an information system having a definitive
boundary, users, processors, storage, inputs, outputs and the aforementioned
communication networks.
SYSTEM AND SUBSYSTEM
The word systems refer to as the arrangement or the way of organizing
some specific things in a particular way. So now a system can be defined as the
regularly interacting interdependent group of the items ultimately leading to the
formation of a united whole. Particularly for the management Information Systems,
a system consists of certain specific set of elements that can be identified as the
belonging together because of the common purpose, goal or the objective.
The features defining the system usually act as its boundaries, so it can be
said that the system is inside the boundary and the environment is outside the
boundary.
Each system is further made of the sub systems, which further consist of the
other subsystems and one very important point to be kept in mind here is that all of
these subsystems are defined specifically by its boundaries. Each subsystem itself
actually acts as the system. The Interconnections and the various interactions that
generally take place between the various subsystems are referred to as the
interfaces.
These interfaces are generally known to occur at the boundary and usually
take the form of the inputs and the outputs. A system is not at all arranged
randomly but is arranged with the help of certain logic, which are governed by the
rules, the regulations, the principles, the policies etc. Such an arrangement of a
system is generally influenced by the objective which the system always desires to
achieve.
In the management Information Systems, the concept of the system is very
much important and one should have an in depth knowledge of it as with the help of

this, one can easily have a look at the individual elements, subsystems in the larger
perspective of the whole system leading to the optimal solutions and the synergy.
There are different types of the system and are generally found to be present in all
the fields of the endeavor. There are systems like the social system, political
system, economic system etc.
All the Systems must possess the following
1.
Goals
2.
Components
3.
Subsystems
4.
Behavior
5.
Boundaries
6.
Life cycle
What are the Characteristics of the System
A System must be having or possessing the following characteristics
1.
System receives inputs with the help of the information, energy or the
materials.
2.
System processes inputs and also produces outputs or the results.
3.
System has a particular structure.
4.
System is very much interdependent in the nature.
5.
System has an objective orientation.
A system is a group of elements that are integrated with the common
purpose of achieving objective.
A system is a set of interacting or interdependent component parts forming
a complex or intricate whole.[1] Every system is delineated by its spatial and
temporal boundaries, surrounded and influenced by its environment, described by
its structure and purpose and expressed in its functioning.
The subsystem is where work is processed on the system. A subsystem is a
single, predefined operating environment through which the system coordinates the
work flow and resource use. The system can contain several subsystems, all
operating independently of each other. Subsystems manage resources.
All jobs, with the exception of system jobs, run within subsystems. Each
subsystem can run unique operations. For instance, one subsystem may be set up
to handle only interactive jobs, while another subsystem handles only batch jobs.
Subsystems can also be designed to handle many types of work. The system allows
you to decide the number of subsystems and what types of work each subsystem
will handle.
A subsystem is simply a system. This means that a system exist on more
than one level and can be composed of subsystem or element parts. Following are
the Subsytem
Transaction processing system
Management reporting system
Decision support system
Office Information system
Integrated Information system
A subsystem is a set of elements, which is a system itself, and a component
of a larger system.
A subsystem description is a system object that contains information defining
the characteristics of an operating environment controlled by the system.

The systems development life cycle (SDLC), also referred to as the application
development life-cycle, is a term used in systems engineering, information
systems and software engineering to describe a process for planning, creating,
testing, and deploying an information system.[1] The systems development lifecycle concept applies to a range of hardware and software configurations, as a
system can be composed of hardware only, software only, or a combination of both.

A transaction process system (TPS) is an information processing system

for business transactions involving the collection, modification and retrieval of all
transaction data. Characteristics of a TPS include performance, reliability and
consistency.
TPS is also known as transaction processing or real-time processing.
Transaction Processing System (TPS) is a type of system which usually helps
an organization to handle its daily business operations and transactions in an
efficient and effective manner by processing and recording each operation. A
transaction is an occurrence in which goods, services, or money are passed from
one person, account, etc., to another. Such operations/transactions may include
customer orders, purchase orders as well as handling of invoices. A TPS is therefore
responsible for collecting, storing, modifying and retrieving data pertaining to the
transactions that have taken place in an organization and finally generate reports
which are used by other levels of management. The characteristics of a TPS include
performance, reliability and consistency.
A management information system (MIS) focuses on the management of
information technology to provide efficiency and effectiveness or strategy decision
making. The concept may include systems termed transaction processing system,
decision support system, expert system, or executive information system. The term
is often used in the academic study of businesses and has connections with other
areas, such as information systems, information technology, informatics, ecommerce and computer science; as a result, the term is used interchangeably with
some of these areas.
Management Information System (MIS) is a system which brings together
people (the management), information as well as the systems (both hardware and
software). This type of system is important in an organization as it provides
information that is essential to operations, management and decision making
functions. Some of these functions include planning, controlling, decision making,
organizing, and staffing.
MIS
MIS, which stands for Management Information System, helps middle level
management in monitoring, controlling, decision making and administrative
activities. MIS provides managers with current performance of the organization.
Managers make use of this information to monitor and control business and also to
devise strategies to better the performance in future.

The data which is available through MIS is summarized and presented in

concise reports on a regular basis. MIS serves the interests of managers on weekly,
monthly and yearly results though some MIS can produce results on a daily basis to
be used by managers. A manager can get answers to predefined set of questions
through MIS regularly. MIS is not very flexible and also does not have analytical
capability. A vast majority of MIS systems make use of simple routines and stay
away from complex mathematical models.
TPS
Another type of information system that has become very popular is TPS. It
stands for Transaction Processing System and collects, stores, modifies and
retrieves all information about transactions in an organization. A transaction here is
referred to any event that generates or modifies the already stored information.
If an organization is using both MIS and TPS, there is regular exchange of
data among these systems. TPS becomes a major source of data for MIS. The data
that is generated through TPS is on the level of operations such as payroll or order
processing. TPS tracks daily routine transactions that are essential to conduct
business. MIS makes heavy use of data from TPS though it also utilizes data from
other sources.

Information Systems in Business Functions

Accounting
In accounting, information systems collects and store data about activity and
daily transanctions to produce financial statements.
Finance
Human Resources
Human Resource management systems help mainly in record-keeping,
employee evaluation, and employee benefits.
Marketing
In marketing, information system is designed to support marketing decision
making. It brings together many different kinds of data, people, equipment and
procedures to help an organization make better decisions .
In finance, information systems help organize budgets, manage cash flow,
analyze investments, and make decisions that could reduce interest payments and
increase revenues from financial transactions.
Web-Empowered Enterprises
Business in recent years has been networked commerce- buying and selling
goods and services via telecommunications network- or as it is popularly called, ecommerce.
Careers in Information Systems
Help Desk Technician
Support end users in their daily use of Information Technology, especially
applications.
System Analyst
Responsible for researching, planning, and recommending software and
systems choices to meet an organization's business requirements.

Information Systems graduates move into positions of responsibility and

leadership in corporations, small businesses and government organizations.
Modern enterprises depend on Information Systems specialists, valuing their ability
to design innovative and effective computing solutions to meet complex
organization objectives.
CAREERS IN IS
Network Administration
Network administrators are responsible for the technical support of an
organizations network infrastructure. This profession includes such tasks as
designing the network structure, establishing and maintaining servers, designing
cabling, validating users, providing security, and ensuring the ongoing day-to-day
operations of the network.
Network Support Personnel
Networks come in many variations and network systems and data
communications analysts analyze, design, test, and evaluate systems such as local
area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), Internet, Intranets, and other data
communications systems. These analysts perform network modeling, analysis and
planning; they also may research related products and make necessary hardware
and software recommendations. Telecommunications specialists focus on the
interaction between computer and communications equipment.
Systems Analysts
Systems analysts identify opportunities for improvement in business
processes and design computer and systems related solutions. Those in this
profession help their clients define technology-related needs and design a system
that is most appropriate for them. They help an organization realize the maximum
benefit from its investment in equipment, personnel, and business processes. This
may include planning and developing new computer systems or devising ways to
apply existing systems' resources to additional operations. Systems analysts are
projected by the U.S. Department of Labor to be one of the top three growth
occupations from the years 2000-2010.
Consultants
Many companies, such as Accenture, Deloitte-Touche, IBM and Unisys, provide
advice to their clients that are attempting to use information technology more
effectively. These companies hire information systems majors to serve as
consultants for their clients. Consultants act as systems analysts, programmers,
database administrators, and troubleshooters for their clients. Consultants work on
short and long-term projects frequently reengineering processes or instituting
continuous quality improvement methods.
Computer Programmers
Computer programmers design, write, test, and maintain the detailed
instructions, called programs, that computers must follow to perform their functions.
Many technical innovations in programmingadvanced computing technologies and

sophisticated new languages and programming toolshave redefined the role of a

programmer and elevated much of the programming work done today.
Database Support Personnel
With the Internet and electronic business creating tremendous volumes of
data, there is growing need to be able to store, manage, and extract data
effectively. Database administrators work with database management systems
software and determine ways to organize and store data. They set up computer
databases and test and coordinate changes. It is the responsibility of a database
administrator to ensure performance, security, accuracy and integrity of the
organizations database. A data analyst works with database administrators,
systems analysts and programmers to identify the best method of storing data for
an organization. A data analyst is usually responsible for designing the underlying
data structures for an organization. With the volume of sensitive data generated
every second growing rapidly, data integrity, backup, and keeping databases secure
have become an increasingly important aspect for organizations. Some
organizations have created a special position, a data security specialist to handle
the increasingly difficult job of maintaining data security.