Information support for functional areas

Management Information System (MIS)

MIS is an integrated, computer-based system that collects, processes, stores and distributes accurate and timely information to managers at different levels to help them in planning, controlling and decision making. It combines people, hardware, software, data and procedures.

Data -> [Collect/Process/Store] -> Information -> Managers
                  ^                                  |
                  +------------- Feedback -----------+

Information support in functional areas

1. Marketing:
   • Customer demand, market size and trends.
   • Sales analysis by product and region, price comparison.
   • Competitor information, advertising results.
   • Example: a telecom company studying data usage and plan sales.
2. Production/operations:
   • Production schedules, inventory levels, machine utilisation.
   • Quality control reports, cost, plant maintenance.
   • Example: NEA's generation and outage data, load forecast.
3. Finance and accounting:
   • Budgets, cash flow, profitability, ratios.
   • Accounts receivable and payable, investment analysis.
   • Tax and audit reports (including Nepal Rastra Bank returns for banks).
4. Human resources:
   • Employee records, attendance, payroll.
   • Skill inventory, manpower planning, training needs and appraisal results.
5. Purchasing/materials:
   • Supplier performance, price lists, stock levels and reorder points.
6. Research and development:
   • Technology trends, project progress, patents.
7. Top management/strategic planning:
   • External environment, competitors, economic and legal changes, overall performance.

Good information support helps each function to be coordinated, to identify problems early and to make decisions with facts.