An information system is a set of interrelated components that work together to collect,

process, store, and disseminate information to support decision making, coordination, control,

analysis, and visualization in an organization.

Information systems are the foundation for conducting business today. It plays a critical role

in increasing productivity and industrial survival thus making it hard for an organization to

continue to exist without extensive use of it.

With information system existence it ensures improved decision making, Operational

excellence, and Competitive advantage, Customer and supplier intimacy and total overall

organizational survival. Information systems may help managers and workers analyze

problems, visualize complex subjects, and create new products.

THREE DIMENSIONS OF INFORMATION SYSTEM

An information system represents a combination of management, organization, and

technology element. To fully understand information systems, a manager must understand the

broader organization, management, and information technology dimensions of systems and

their power to provide solutions to challenges and problems in the business environment.

Hence it incorporates an understanding of the management and organizational dimensions of

systems as well as the technical dimensions of systems as information systems literacy.

Information systems literacy includes a behavioral as well as a technical approach to studying

information systems. Computer literacy, in contrast, focuses primarily on knowledge of

information technology. These dimensions can be explained as follows

ORGANIZATIONAL DIMENSION

Information systems are part of organizations. Information systems will have the standard

operating procedure and the culture of an organization imbedded within them.

The organization dimension of information systems involves the organization’s hierarchy,

functional specialties, business processes, culture, and political interest groups.

In reality today information systems affect a much larger part of the organization itself, such

as organizational products, objectives, and structure. Powerful computers, software, and

networks, including the Internet, have helped organizations become more flexible, More and

more business activities at all levels involve the use of information systems.

There is a growing interdependence between the organization and its information systems. An

organization’s present and future accomplishments depend in many respects on what its

systems will permit it to do now and later, thus a change in the business's strategy, rules, or

procedures requires changes in the information systems software, hardware, databases, and

telecommunications.

MANAGEMENT DIMENSION OF INFORMATION SYSTEM

Managers perceive business challenges in the environment, they set the organizational

strategy for responding and allocate the human and financial resources to achieve the strategy

and coordinate the work.

The management dimension of information systems involves leadership, strategy, and

management behavior. Information systems supply tools and information needed by managers

to allocate, coordinate and monitor their work, make decisions, create new products, and

services and make long-range strategic decisions. Information system helps to make

teamwork and collaborative work environments

Information systems help to drive both daily operations and managerial strategies.

Information systems can help management to obtain periodic reports, These reports can be

obtained from different systems such as sales./marketing systems, Human resource systems,

accounting systems. The systems assist managers in making decision making such as by

having What-if" questions on decision support systems.

Also helps senior management to tackle and address strategic issues and long-term

trends both in the firm and in the external environment. Their principle concern is matching

changes in the external environment with existing organizational capability

TECHNOLOGY DIMENSION

The technology dimensions consist of computer hardware, software, data management

technology, and networking/telecommunications technology (including the Internet).

Management uses technology (hardware, software, storage, and telecommunications) to carry

out their functions. It is one of the many tools managers use to cope with change.

Computer hardware is the physical equipment used for input, processing, and output activities

in an information system. It consists of the following: the computer processing unit; various s

input, output, and storage devices; and physical media to link these devices together.

Computer software consists of the detailed preprogrammed instructions that control and

coordinate the computer hardware components in an information system.

Storage technology includes both the physical media for storing data, such as magnetic or

optical disk or tape, and the software governing the organization of data on these physical

media.

Communications technology, consisting of both physical devices and software, links the

various pieces of hardware and transfers data from one physical location to another.

Computers and communications equipment can be connected in networks for sharing voice,

data, images, sound, or even video

All of these technologies represent resources that can be shared throughout the organization

and constitute the firm's information technology (IT) infrastructure re. The IT infrastructure

provides the foundation or platform on which the firm can build its specific information

systems.

Each organization must carefully design and manage its information technology

infrastructure so that it has the set of technology services it needs for the work it wants to

accomplish with information systems.

REFERENCES

Laudon, K. & Laudon, J. (2006); Management Information Systems: Managing the Digital

Firm, 9th edition. Prentice Hal

http://www.aiu.edu/publications/student/english/Management%20Information

%20Systems.htm (Accessed 24th march 2015)