This case study was created to analyze the application of management information systems in particular organization; this research will examine that the way the management information system is put in place, how this execution is performing the key roles which are required to be performed by any information system. These key roles are providing information in a variety of departments, facilitating decision making in every tears of management and help as means of managing business effectively.
To study previously listed functions of MIS publisher have determined Mobilink Infinity, which really is a data and internet department of Mobilink GSM, major telecom business in Pakistan. Being truly a technology driven firm Mobilink Infinity would depend upon their information system for not only providing their customers with quality and timely services but also for their decision making on all management level, in below case author will evaluate the working style of their information system, how it can help in making better decisions and exactly how this technique can be upgraded for future needs, author will also analyze the impotence and need for a good information system in modern day business organizations.
Company IntroductionI want to do this! What's This?
Mobilink Infinity is a subsidiary of Mobilink GSM which is most significant telecom operator in Pakistan, being a data and Internet wing of Mobilink GSM this wing provides data and Internet services to commercial and domestic users in Pakistan, it products amounts from IPLC, DPLC, VSAT, ADSL, Web Hosting, Co-location, Dark Fibre to WiMAX for both organizations and home users, backed by Orascom Telecom which of top telecom companies on the globe it has local occurrence in more than 5 courtiers, integration of Mobilink GSM and Mobilink Infinity is continuation of managements vision of providing total communication answers to Pakistan.
Role and Types of Information Systems
In any corporation which is functioning in present day business environment information systems have vital and critical tasks to play, they will be the key drivers to make well-timed and effective decisions making and help management to better understand and improve their business process and provide the customers better, in other words we can say that management information systems, if designed and used properly, may bring company an extra edge by facilitating decision making and can provide as competitive advantage which is the desire of every organization.
Here we see various assignments that management information systems play in any corporation. First role is helping business processes, the most typical example of such role is inventory management, order delivery management and supply string management system, such systems helps in making daily business operations and transaction better and empowers employees to serve the clients in more effective way.
Other role of information system is to support decision making, that is one of the main role that information systems works, in daily business operations employees at different levels need to make decisions regarding their service provisioning and at the very top level professionals need to make their decision that are strategically very important to future business, a good, well monitored and effectively designed information system supports decision making at every degree of business whether it is at middle level of management regarding regular business transactions or it is related to future decision making which is strategically important; information systems are always helpful in providing the right information to management.
Other role of information systems in present day company is to supply the sustainable competitive benefits, in any industry information systems can be a source of competitive advantage in two ways, some may be saving and then re-producing the information about customers, their buying manners, product preferences regarding their demographics, this information further may be used to improve product, delivering right product to right customers, and romance marketing. On the other hand same information can be utilized my management to make correct changes and decision related to business and bring their product one step before competition.
There are four main types of information systems at the very top tier of company there is Professional Support System that delivers the tactical information to top management, on the next level there is Decision Support System that also provides information to middle management related with their business area and middle level decision making, at the same level there is certainly Management Information System that gives internal and external customer and employee information to users, with the essential tier of management there is Deal Support System that is designed to support day to times business functions and accomplish employees to serve their customers better.
Managing Hardware and Software
Information system are contain several components, they are people resources, hardware and software components, and data and network resources, each of this component has its own importance and way of management, and there are several issues that have to be taken care of while taking care of any information system in organizations.
If we speak about hardware and software resources then we see that hardware components of any information system should be made a decision and designed while keeping the future needs of information, same is the truth of software element parts of the machine; these parts are usually designed keeping current needs of the organization and then over time when information needs changes or growth is necessary then organizations must face problems.
Same guidelines apply on data and network components of the system, sites are also be created by keeping the same future needs of the organization, and data management systems should also be made while keeping the info needs of most management levels at heart, as every management level has different information needs, data management system should be adaptable and empowered enough to cater to all types of information need.
MIS as Strategic Weapon
There has been age where business information systems have not been of this importance and these system where made to help in providing daily purchase support, however with the change in business environment, business dynamics are also changing and today right information at right time is essential and critical for proper management of business, since the value of correct information on different dimensions gets increasing daily, so is increasing the importance of information systems, we shall observe how information systems if strategically deployed and intelligently used can become strategic tool.
There a wide range of ways that information systems can be used strategically, considering forward end of the business these application can help customers by facilitating their connections with organization, boosting their experience while employing company and this not pertains to B2C model but this is used with same effectiveness on B2B style of business, by deploying smart information systems organization can get comments from customers, review it and then these details can be used to improve business operations and creating a strong business connection with customers, putting all this along may be used to gain competitive edge.
Similarly these systems can increase inside efficiency of group, better inventory management, just with time delivery of raw material and continuous learning by the data collected by these information system are just few examples of where a well included information system can help group to boost their business processes and reduce costs, and become a way to obtain experience learning, the concept of knowledge management is just a continuation of the idea, this way in modern organizations, information system can strategically be used as weapons.
MIS Transforming Business Models
MIS used to be the main one molded with the business models, now with the transformation of business needs and usefulness of information systems, now it's been noticed that management information systems are in vitality of transforming business models, common example of this e-commerce, ERP systems.
Information systems are changing the ways business is done, introduction of electric presence and enterprise source planning is revolutionizing the way modern organizations operate, such developments and their important relevance with strategic management of business is the main element factor that is making top management to enhance the business by keeping information systems as a main driver of the business, their potential to provide strategically important and useful information is dominant enough to make executives get their business models molded the way modern information systems requires.
Management Information System at Mobilink Infinity
Users
The information system at Mobilink Infinity is employed by most of the employees, these users rages from sales team, collection team, marketing team, accounts team, financing team, inventory and procurement team. There are different rights that receive to different employees depending upon their designations, executive level and team innovator have privileges that are necessary for conducting business processes, and professionals have more right to view collective and specific information, same is the case with departmental mind and top management who can see everything and retrieve article in various formats and specifications, this can help them to understand individual and collective performance on different guidelines and review the performance of employees.
Hardware Resources
These are hardware resources that are deployed in information systems
Fax Machines
Inbox Intel Key2Due Control Systems
Keyboard
Modems
Mouse
Printers
Dedicated servers
Ups
Software Resources
There are various kinds of software that are being used in Mobilink Infinity MIS, one the type is which are used as machine operating software these include Microsoft Windows & Office, Antivirus system and other are application that are created for needs of different departments depending upon the type of business they are simply controlling. These applications include Tracer system, Econnect system, CRM system, Infinity Analysis portal and Octopus.
Networks Resources
Mobilink Infinity has their own network system plus they use Local Area Network, Wide Area Network and Virtual Private Network that helps the management to do their work from remote control locations without having to be present in any office.
Data Resources
Mobilink Infinity has their own databases management system that is done via dedicated servers and application that are located in mind offices in Egypt.
Uses of Information Systems in Mobilink Infinity
As there are different tear of management and various departments are working in Mobilink Infinity that's the reason there are different sorts of uses of these systems, executive level employees need this system to execute their day to day jobs and run business procedures, monitor their own performance and goals, since MIS system is directly linked with performance management system there, that's the reason managers need this system to investigate and communicated the team smart and specific performance and they also see some special situations and situation through these systems, top management also need these systems to make proper decisions and discover revenue, product and performance styles.
So Mobilink Infinity has different systems in place that focus on the necessity of different departments with different employee level, these system are unbiased of the other person there is absolutely no linkage of systems, for example financial management system differs from consumer service management, and worker have only access to the systems related to their job, however top management can view the info from each system and get accounts on different parameters.
In below lines we publisher has reviewed various functions and systems that are being found in Mobilink infinity, these systems are indie but are strategically found in collective.
Decision Support System
Decision support system at Mobilink Infinity has been specially designed for top management to make use of and help them in making strategically important decisions, this technique is a collective of all the systems working in Mobilink Infinity, this system provides top professionals with the specially designed reviews with are adaptable in their guidelines and provide valuable home elevators nationwide, region sensible, product smart sales, sales fads, product development, market share, revenue development and financial health of the organization, such information helps management to decide upon the future steps to be studied, this program is updated every year with the opinions of the management so that future needs of information can be completed.
Executive Support Systems
Executive support system at Mobilink Infinity has been made to facilitate the middle tier of the management, these systems are related to different section and are unbiased of every other, these systems are also known as Infinity Research Portals that are linked with databases of every section and each administrator or departmental mind can retrieve reviews on various guidelines.
Every team has their own databases and analysis portals, where professionals assign their team with monthly, quarterly and bi-annually goals or objectives, and then via these portals managers can also asses the performance with their clubs, these assessments can be carried out independently and then group smart, supervisor who are managing team or department which have countrywide operation can see the accounts on geographical and chronological parameters as well, such reports require good amount of data handling and are also need real-time processing.
Office Automation System
This system was created to make employees more profitable same their time and increase their efficiency, this system connect every employee with core office of the organization, such are HR, Procurement and Supervision, employing this system, employees, without indulging in long processes, can contact these division and get their things done, for example if some staff wants to be on formal travel he/she can put need in this system and this system will forwards jobs to each relevant section and plans will be made accordingly, this system has prevailed so far in making organizational routine functions more clean and time cutting down.
Transaction Processing System
These systems are designed to handle the central business of the organization and mainly related to consumer part of business, these systems are billing information system, invoice management systems, collection control systems, inventory management system and procurement system.
Management Information System
This system gets its inputs from all these system and them functions it and present the useful information in form of information, this data is employed by supervisors and team leaders for their studies.
Recommendations for Mobilink Infinity MIS
Mobilink Infinity is market head in providing Internet and data services in Pakistan, one of the reason of the success is successful information systems that are in destination to facilitate the business procedures and help management to make timely and quick decisions, within the business different teams are employing different kinds of information systems which are independent of every other, these system have different titles like for business trades and customer contact, there may be are ISs called Tracer and CRM, for financial purposes they use Octopus & Connection, and for exec and middle management level information needs they have got Infinity Examination Portals. After studying the business techniques, their needs of information and information systems in place, writer has made few tips based on his ideas of enhancing the information systems and future needs of the organization.
Recommendation 1-Intergration of Consumer Information Systems
One of the core processes that are done on continuous bases and on great deal, is satisfying the orders put by customers, these task are done by using two applications, is Tracer and other is CRM, Tracer is accountable for generating different responsibilities for different departments like repayment collections and unit installation and CRM is utilized to provide modified status on their orders and cope with their concerns and problems, as stated earlier, these applications are 3rd party and are not related to each other and employed by two different teams.
Here comes the issue, if tracer is down or no longer working them CRM men cannot have information, and since information and status of order is inserted manually then there is a high potential for customers not getting the required updated information if information is manually then here are also the chances of errors.
To avoid such problems it has been suggested that consumer related information systems should be included so that times, cost and problems triggered by manual integration can be avoided and group can save their resources and can serve the client better.
Recommendation 2-Intergration of Financial Systems
The financial information system should also be included with consumer systems, since Octopus is managing the payments made by corporate and personal clients these repayment position are manual updated in CRM and Tracer, this technique causes two sorts of problems, you are the manual entries for updating of records causes human problem and there's been cases where customer must suffer from because non-payments suspends the assistance and such happenings cause customer dissatisfaction and a poor person to person and cause company cost in terms of time and image.
The other problem caused by this process relates to time and tool costs that redundancy of entries and data cost the business in terms of tool time and allocation of two groups for coming into the same information. To avoid such situations company should assimilate this part of economic climate with consumer related systems so that customer fighting and firm cost can be kept, since company is growing its business and progress in amount of customers, the likelihood of such happenings is high, so such integration is strongly suggested.
Recommendation 3-Decentralization of Database
Infinitys main data basic is positioned in Egypt, where the other Orascom Telecom projects likewise have the databases at the same location, now having businesses in Pakistan and databases in Egypt is reason behind certain inefficiencies that are source of customer sufferings.
If data source is down in head office then functions in Pakistan get disturbed and applications neglect to respond to questions, more over the holiday season systems in Egypt is different from Pakistan and there has been conditions where support related to databases were required and support personnel was on leave due to vacation in Egypt, having databases on distant locations rather than been able to give support is major cause that customer suffer and timely information is unavailable to management.
It have been recommended that company must have their database positioned in Pakistan so that timely support can get if required. Same is the case with the application development and request support, since both of these tools are also developed in the top offices and support is also provided from the same location, this cause in delays in business functions and information needs. Situations have been reported where delays were brought on because of the mistakes in applications and there support from the coordinator country. To avoid such situations in future it's been suggested that databases and their request development and support should be found in Pakistan.
Recommendation 4-Redefining Individual Rights
Companys businesses are growing therefore is their customer bottom part and operational complexities, however the user right in every information systems were described way back when and there is absolutely no modification and up gradation, with the growth of business the type of information privileges required by the users are changing, now every end user demands for mix sectional viewing of information and if such information is not within their information system then this cause delays running a business functions and employees are unable to serve the customer in effective way.
For complex this we shall take the example of financial information system and CRM, CRM is imagine to update the clients regarding their bill status, but employee interacting with CRM is unable to view the repayments position either by their CRM request or the financial information request, what they have to do is to physically get the info from the concerned department which practice triggers delays in portion customers which is either going to their service center or are on call.
Since there in not integration in the info systems, such techniques are causing delays, pace of growth in customers requires the business needs to study the entire systems and redefine the protection under the law required by the users, now the employees interacting with customer should be able to view at least the basic information regarding the customer bill on different proportions. This may be vital in improving the client service level at hence improve the customer satisfaction and eventually brings about competitive advantages.
Conclusion
Author has, in this assignment, review the theoretical knowledge on controlling information systems and also have looked on that how information systems can affect the proper management of business and improve the decision making, further the info systems of decided on organization are also studied and their practical utilization by different management levels were also studied, moving forward publisher has also made some recommendations that can increase the success of information system deployed by the business not only now however in future also.
