Management Information Systems - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core topics from the Management Information Systems (MIS) lecture notes, including management roles, levels, system categories, and key business technology terms.

Management Information Systems (MIS)

The application of information technology to support the major functions, activities, and decision-making processes of an organization through the collection, manipulation, storage, distribution, and utilization of information resources.

Technical Skills

Skills or terminology required for the accomplishment of specific tasks, typically best understood by specialists in computers, technology, or a specific trade or field.

Human Resource Management

A discipline within resource management that addresses interpersonal behaviors, including leadership, communication, team building, negotiation, facilitation, and mediation abilities.

Communication

A two-way process of reaching mutual understanding in which participants exchange information, news, ideas, and feelings while creating and sharing meaning.

Conceptual/Decision Making Skills

The ability to think creatively about, analyze, and understand complicated and abstract ideas, allowing top-level managers to see their organization as a holistic entity.

Manage

To oversee, administer, or run a company, establishment, or undertaking, including exercising control over operations or achieving goals despite obstacles.

Manager

An employee responsible for planning, directing, and overseeing the operations and fiscal health of a business unit, division, department, or operating unit within an organization.

Figurehead Role

An interpersonal managerial role where the manager serves as a symbolic head with social, ceremonial, and legal responsibilities representing the team.

Leader Role

An interpersonal managerial role where the manager provides direction, manages performance, and guides the responsibilities of everyone in the group or organization.

Liaison Role

An interpersonal managerial role focused on networking and communicating with internal and external contacts on behalf of the organization.

Monitor Role

An informational managerial role where the manager regularly seeks out information regarding their organization and industry to track environmental changes and team well-being.

Disseminator Role

An informational managerial role involving the communication of potentially useful information from outside sources or higher management to colleagues and team members.

Spokesperson Role

An informational managerial role responsible for transmitting official information about the organization and its goals to external entities.

Entrepreneur Role

A decisional managerial role centered on creating and controlling positive change within the organization by solving problems and generating new ideas.

Disturbance Handler Role

A decisional managerial role where the manager takes charge during unexpected roadblocks or crises and mediates organizational disputes.

Resource Allocator Role

A decisional managerial role determining where organizational funding, staff, and other resources are best applied.

Negotiator Role

A decisional managerial role where the manager participates in and directs important negotiations within their team, department, or organization.

Top-Level Management

The policy-making body (such as the Board of Directors, President, or CEO) responsible for establishing broad objectives, long-range plans, company policies, and overall direction.

Middle-Level Management

Managerial personnel (such as department heads or branch managers) who interpret top management policies, execute plans, and guide lower-level managers.

Lower-Level Management

Operating management (such as supervisors and section leads) in direct contact with workers, responsible for executing daily operations, maintaining quality, and preserving worker morale.

Functional Management

A management approach focused on the execution of specific organizational tasks within functional areas (such as HR, marketing, or IT) through deep domain expertise.

Data

Raw facts, numbers, characters, or symbols coded into a format for computer input that lack inherent meaning or context on their own.

Information

Data that has been processed, interpreted, structured, or organized to give it meaning, context, and utility within a specific application or decision-making environment.

Business Information

All records and information (commercial, financial, technical) used by a company to guide planning, operations, and evaluation of activities.

Information System (IS)

A combination of complementary networks of hardware, software, telecommunications, data, people, and processes that collect, store, and distribute useful data to support organizational decision-making.

Process

A series of structured steps undertaken to achieve a desired organizational outcome or business goal.

Retail Link

Walmart's proprietary supply-chain management system that allows suppliers to directly view store inventory levels and sales data to manage product fulfillment.

Closed System

A stand-alone system that operates independently without any interaction or interface with other external systems.

Open System

A system that actively interacts, interfaces, and exchanges data with other external systems.

Bounded Rationality

The cognitive limitations of human decision-makers that restrict their ability to process and evaluate large volumes of information simultaneously.

Just-in-Time (JIT) Inventory Management

An inventory control technique that aligns raw material orders from suppliers directly with production schedules to minimize storage costs and dead stock.

Sales Lead

A person, business, or set of data that identifies a prospective entity as a potential buyer of a product or service.

Product Differentiation

A marketing strategy aimed at distinguishing a company's product or service from competitors by highlighting unique characteristics valued by target customers.

Vertical Differentiation

Product differentiation where goods can be objectively ranked according to quality from highest to lowest.

Horizontal Differentiation

Product differentiation based on personal preference, flavor, or location rather than objective differences in overall quality.

Value Chain

A sequential model introduced by Michael Porter describing the full range of internal primary and support activities a business performs to create a product or service.

Customer Loyalty

A measure of a customer's likelihood to engage in repeat business based on positive experiences, satisfaction, and perceived brand value.

Transaction Processing System (TPS)

An operational computer system that automates the collection, modification, storage, and retrieval of routine business transaction data.

Decision Support System (DSS)

An interactive management-level information system that combines data and sophisticated analytical models to help decision-makers address semi-structured or unique problems.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

An integrated suite of business applications sharing a central database to manage end-to-end operational processes across finance, HR, manufacturing, and supply chain functions.

DIKW Pyramid

A hierarchical framework representing the structural relationships between Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom.

Information Literacy

The ability to recognize when information is needed, as well as locate, critically evaluate, and effectively utilize that information.

Computer Literacy

The technical understanding and ability required to operate computing hardware devices, software applications, and digital tools properly.

Operational Excellence

A business strategy and mindset focused on continuously improving organizational execution and efficiency to maintain competitive leadership.