Feb/Spring 2012

Master of Business Administration - MBA Semester II

MB0047 Management Information Systems - 4 Credits
(Book ID: B1136)
Assignment - Set- 1 (60 Marks)
Marks-60
Attempt each question. Each question carries 10 marks:
11. What is MIS? Define the characteristics of MIS? What are the
basic Functions of MIS? Give some Disadvantage of MIS?
2The industrial revolution has slowly replaced man power with machines.
There emerged the use of computer for data processing. The digital
computer was mainly designed to handle scientific calculations. During
1940 to 1960 computers were used commercially for census and payroll
work which involved large amount of data processing. Since then the
commercial application exceeded the scientific applications.
3Computer Based Information systems are of vital importance in modern
organization. Systems professionals analyze, design, develop, implement
and manage state-of-the-art telecommunications, multi-media and other
computer-based

information

systems.

In

addition

to

maintaining

traditional transaction processing systems, todays IS professionals are

involved in exciting developments in computing systems, such as
decision support and expert systems, database development and
enhancement, development and use of Graphical User Interfaces (GUI),
systems

design

using

object

oriented

programming,

design

and

management of telecommunications systems, and the management of

end-user computing. So you can define MIS is a method of generating
information which is used by management or organization for decision
making, control of activities and operations etc

MIS characteristics
It supports transaction handling and record keeping.

 It is also called as integrated database Management System which

supports in major functional areas.
It provides operational, tactical, and strategic level managers with east
access to timely but, for the most, structured information.
It supports decision making function which is a vital role of MIS.
It is flexible which is needed to adapt to the changing needs of the
organization.
It promotes security system by providing only access to authorized
users.
MIS not only provides statistical and data analysis but also works on the
basis on MBO (management by objectives). MIS is successfully used for
measuring

performance

and

making

necessary

change

in

the

organizational plans and procedures. It helps to build relevant and

measurable objectives, monitor results, and send alerts.
Coordination: MIS provides integrated information so that all the
departments are aware of the problem and requirements of the other
departments. This helps in equal interaction of the different centers and
connects decision centers of the organization.
Duplication of data is reduced since data is stored in the central part
and same data can be used by all the related departments.
MIS eliminates redundant data.
It helps in maintaining consistency of data. It is divided into
subsystems. Handlings with small systems are much easier than an
entire system. This helps in giving easy access of data, accuracy and
better information production.
MIS assembles, process, stores, Retrieves, evaluates and disseminates
the information.
Function of MIS

The main functions of MIS are:

Data Processing: Gathering, storage, transmission, processing and
getting output of the data. Making the data into information is a major
task.
Prediction: Prediction is based on the historical data by applying the
prior knowledge methodology by using modern mathematics, statistics or
simulation. Prior knowledge varies on the application and with different
departments.
Planning: Planning reports are produced based on the enterprise
restriction on the companies and helps in planning each functional
department to work reasonably.
Control: MIS helps in monitoring the operations and inspects the plans.
It consists of differences between operation and plan with respect to data
belonging to different functional department. It controls the timely action
of the plans and analyzes the reasons for the differences between the
operations and plan. Thereby helps managers to accomplish their
decision making task successfully.
Assistance: It stores the related problems and frequently used
information to apply them for relative economic benefits. Through this it
can derive instant answers of the related problem.
Database: This is the most important function of MIS. All the information
is needs a storage space which can be accessed without causing any
anomalies in the data. Integrated Database avoids the duplication of data
and thereby reduces redundancy and hence consistency will be
increased.
The major function of MIS lies in application of the above functions to
support the managers and the executives in the organization in decisionmaking.
Disadvantages of MIS
The following are some of the disadvantages of MIS:

 MIS is highly sensitive: MIS is very helpful in maintaining logging

information of an authorized user. This needs to monitor constantly.
Quality of outputs is governed by quality of inputs.
MIS budgeting: There is difficulty in maintaining indirect cost and
overheads. Capturing the actual cost needs to have an accrual system
having true costs of outputs which is extremely difficult. It has been
difficult to establish definite findings.
MIS is not flexible to update itself for the changes.
The changes in the decision of top level management decrease its
effectiveness.
Information accountability is based on the qualitative factors and the
factors like morality, confidence or attitude will not have any base.

42. Explain Knowledge based system? Explain DSS and OLAP

with example?
5Knowledge Based System (KBS)

63. What are Value Chain Analysis & describe its significance in
MIS? Explain what is meant by BPR? What is its significance?
How Data warehousing & Data Mining is useful in terms of MIS?
74. Explain DFD & Data Dictionary? Explain in detail how the
information requirement is determined for an organization?
85. What is ERP? Explain its existence before and its future
after? What are the advantages & Disadvantages of ERP? What is
Artificial Intelligence? How is it different from Neural Networks?
96. Distinguish between closed decision making system & open
decision making system? What is What if analysis? Why is
more time spend in problem analysis & problem definition as
compared to the time spends on decision analysis?

Master of Business Administration - MBA Semester II

MB0047 Management Information Systems - 4 Credits
(Book ID: B1136)
Assignment - Set- 2 (60 Marks)
Marks-60
Attempt each question. Each question carries 10 marks:
11. How hardware & software support in various MIS activities of
the organization?
2Explain

the

transaction

stages

from

manual

system

to

automated systems?
Hardware support for MIS
Generally hardware in the form of personal computers and peripherals
like printers, fax machines, copier, scanners etc are used in organization
to support various MIS activities of the organization.

1.6.1 Advantages of a PC: you can find the following advantages a

personal computer offers:
a) Speed A PC can process data at a very high speed. It can process
millions of instructions within fraction of seconds.
b) Storage A PC can store large quantity of data in a small space. It
eliminates the need of storing the conventional office flat files and box
files which requires lots of space. The storage system in a PC is such that
the information can be transferred from one place to another place in
electronic form.
c) Communication A PC on the network can offer great support as a
communicator in communicating information in the form of text and
images. Today a PC with internet is used as a powerful tool of
communication for every business activity.
d) Accuracy A PC is highly reliable in the sense that it could be used to
perform calculations continuously for hours with a great degree of
accuracy. It is possible to obtain mathematical results correct up to a
great degree of accuracy.
e) Conferencing A PC with internet offers facility of video conferencing
worldwide. Business people across the globe travel a lot to meet their
business partner, colleagues, and customers etc to discuss about
business activities. By video conferencing inconvenience of traveling can
be avoided.
A block diagram of a computer may be represented as-

Fig. : Block diagram of a Computer

Input unit is used to give input to the processor. Examples of input unit
Keyboard, scanner, mouse, bar code reader etc.

A processor refers to unit which processes the input received the way it
has been instructed. In a computer the processor is the CPU Central
Processing Unit. It does all mathematical calculations, logical tasks,
storing details in the memory etc.
Output unit is used to give output s from the computer.
Examples of output unit Monitor, printer, speakers etc.

32. Explain the various behavioral factors of management

organization? As per Porter, how can performance of individual
corporations be determined?

43. Compare various types of development aspect of Information

System? Explain the various stages of SDLC?
5 Planning of Information Systems
64. Compare & Contrast E-enterprise business model with
traditional business organization model? Explain how in Eenterprise manager role & responsibilities are changed? Explain
how manager is a knowledge worker in E-enterprise?
75. What do you understand by service level Agreements (SLAs)?
Why are they needed? What is the role of CIO in drafting these?
Explain the various security hazards faced by an IS?
86. Case Study: Information system in a restaurant.