MIS 1

Management Information Systems (MIS)

• MIS is the intersection of technology, people, and processes in organizations.

• It maximizes business strengths by utilizing technology and data.

• Modern MIS includes enterprise resource planning, human resource management, and customer relationship management systems.

Impact on Management

• MIS improves communication through email, office software, and decision-making tools.

• Helps managers visualize the "big picture" with large-scale data processing.

Management Theories

• John Locke: Labor theory of property—work leads to ownership and wealth.

• Adam Smith: Division of labor, free enterprise, and the "invisible hand" guide economic efficiency.

• Frederick Taylor: Scientific management focuses on efficiency, worker training, and cooperation.

• Henri Fayol: 14 principles of management, including authority, discipline, and division of work.

• Max Weber: Bureaucratic management principles emphasizing specialization, hierarchy, and competence.

• Mary Parker Follett: Stressed relationships and informal communication in management.

• Elton Mayo: Human behavior and relationships impact productivity (Hawthorne Studies).

• Douglas McGregor: Theory X (strict control) vs. Theory Y (trust and empowerment).

• Peter Drucker: Decentralization, outsourcing, and customer focus drive corporate success.

Technology in MIS

• Mainframes: Reliable for transaction processing, inventory control, and banking.

• Personal Computers: Allow document creation, databases, and cloud access.

• Client-Server Networks: Provide resource sharing, security, and internet access.

• Cloud Computing: Allows flexible software access, storage, and collaboration.

• POS Systems: Track sales, manage inventory, and integrate multiple business processes.

• Mobile POS: Examples include Square, Inc., offering cloud-based solutions.

Specialized Information Systems

• Decision Support Systems (DSS): Help managers in real-time decision-making.

• Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS): Optimize planning, sourcing, manufacturing, and logistics.

• Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS): Automate payroll, hiring, and performance tracking.

• Marketing Information Systems (MKIS): Gather, analyze, and distribute sales/marketing data.

• Learning Management Systems (LMS): Manage academic processes and track student performance.

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Integrates finance, HR, logistics, and sales into one system.

Work-Life Balance and MIS

• MIS enables telecommuting, flextime, and remote access to business data.

• Risks: Employees often overwork due to 24/7 availability of business communications.

• Strategies: Managing correspondence, taking breaks, and setting daily goals.

Data Analytics in MIS

• Automates data collection, processing, and reporting for decision-making.

• Helps businesses improve efficiency and reduce bottlenecks.

Employee Monitoring and Collaboration Tools

• Monitoring Software: Tracks employee computer use for performance evaluation.

• Video Conferencing: Used for meetings, training, and interviews (e.g., Zoom, Skype).

• Flextime & Telecommuting: Benefits include flexibility, but challenges include scheduling and accountability.

Future of MIS

• Green Computing: Sustainable technology practices will become more prevalent.

• Advancements in Collaboration: Apps for HR, scheduling, and management will continue to evolve.

• Mobile Business Expansion: 5G and cloud-based ERP systems will enhance remote work capabilities.

Ethics Overview

• Ethics provides guidelines for decision-making but differs from morality, which focuses on virtue.

• Ethics is not based solely on law or religion, as legal systems may lag behind technological advancements.

Ethical Concerns in MIS

• Rapid data collection creates challenges for personal and intellectual property privacy.

• The internet has facilitated both research and misinformation, increasing issues like deepfakes, identity theft, and fraud.

• Cyberbullying, digital piracy, and cryptocurrency pose ethical dilemmas due to anonymity and difficulty in regulation.

Ethical Behavior in the Digital Age

• Organizations establish ethical boards to ensure integrity, competence, confidentiality, and justice.

• Five Dimensions of Ethical Behavior:

  1. Privacy Rights: Individuals' right to control their personal data.

  2. Intellectual Property Rights: Protecting creative works through patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

  3. Control and Accountability: Ensuring individuals or organizations are held responsible for violations.

  4. Establishing Quality Standards: Setting digital information protection levels.

  5. Quality of Life: Balancing technological advancements with well-being.

Computer Ethics Violations

• Illegal Activities: Computer theft, copyright infringement, software piracy, scams, viruses, and threats.

• Policy Violations (at work): Using company computers for personal email, shopping, social media, or gaming.

• Employees should report violations to network administrators or supervisors.

Ethical Decision-Making Principles

• Moral Rights Principle: Some decisions are inherently right or wrong.

• Virtue Principle: Consider what a highly moral person would do.

• Distributive Justice Principle: Ensure fair rewards based on effort.

• Universalist Principle: Decisions should be fair for all.

• Utilitarian Principle: Choose the option that benefits the most people.

Responsible Decision-Making

• Leadership must uphold ethical behavior to set a company-wide standard.

• Wells Fargo Scandal (2016): Employees opened unauthorized accounts to meet sales quotas, costing the company over $3 billion.

Privacy in the Digital Age

• The right to privacy is increasingly challenged by data collection.

• The United Nations (UN) affirms digital privacy rights but global laws vary.

• U.S. Privacy Laws:

  • First Amendment: Protects freedom of speech, even online.

  • Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA): Protects digital intellectual property.

  • Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA): Limits children's access to harmful online content.

  • Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA): Protects electronic communications from unlawful interception.

  • US PATRIOT Act: Grants government access to digital communications for national security.

Intellectual Property

• Copyright: Protects original creative works (e.g., books, music, software).

• Patents: Grants exclusive rights to new inventions for a limited time.

• Trademarks & Trade Secrets: Protect brand identities and proprietary business information.

Big Data and Privacy

• Big Data: Massive datasets used for analytics in logistics, banking, and marketing.

• Collection Methods:

  1. Direct Inquiry: Asking consumers for information.

  2. Indirect Tracking: Cookies and web beacons track online activity.

  3. Third-Party Data Purchase: Buying consumer data from large corporations.

Protecting Digital Privacy

• Data Breaches: High-profile cases (e.g., Facebook, Equifax, Marriott) highlight security risks.

• Cloud Security: Third-party storage solutions (AWS) offer stronger security but increase dependency.

• Big Data Privacy Concerns: AI and predictive analytics can track behaviors, sometimes infringing on privacy (e.g., tracking smartphone locations, DNA testing risks).

Privacy Protection Strategies

1. Use Strong Passwords: Unique passwords stored in password managers (e.g., Dashlane, LastPass).

2. Install Antivirus Software: Detects malware and suspicious activity.

3. Enable Private Browsing & VPNs: Prevents tracking but does not fully hide identity.

4. Monitor Credit Reports: Check financial security through agencies like Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.

Internet Privacy Challenges

• Cookies:

  • First-party cookies: Improve user experience (e.g., saved logins).

  • Third-party cookies: Track online behavior for advertising; often seen as invasive.

• Spyware:

  • Keystroke loggers: Record typed information, including passwords.

  • Packet sniffers: Capture internet traffic and steal credentials.

Opt-In vs. Opt-Out Policies

• Opt-In: Users must actively consent to data collection.

• Opt-Out: Pre-checked boxes require users to manually decline data tracking.

• Supply Chain Sourcing: Purchasing goods or services for manufacturing and assembly, not related to item delivery.

• Manufacturing & Assembly: The process of creating items into their final deliverable form.

• Supply Chain Logistics: Moving items within the supply chain; errors in delivery represent logistical breakdowns.

• Supply Chain Planning: Strategy development for balancing supply and demand, unrelated to item delivery.

• Forecasting: Used to predict future supply chain needs.

• POS Systems & Cloud Computing: Track sales and inventory across retail chains.

• POS Systems CRM: Built-in customer relationship management interfaces.

• POS Systems & Accounting: Provide immediate feedback for bookkeeping and accounting teams.

• ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning): Unifies separate business systems for improved agility.

• LMS (Learning Management Systems): Tools for managing educational content and training programs.

• Executive Support System: High-level decision-making tool for executives.

• Ethical Analysis Steps:

  • Gather facts.

  • Identify affected parties.

  • Review policies and consult senior management on guidelines.

  • Analyze potential choices and outcomes.

• Remote Desktop Software: Enables remote access and management of systems.

• Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (2015): Signed into law to enhance cybersecurity collaboration.

• Structured Data: Fixed-field data designed for relational databases, enabling efficient querying.

• Big Data: Uses analytics to identify predictive behaviors in organizations.

• Heuristic-Based Detection: Identifies new malware by analyzing suspicious characteristics rather than signature matching.