CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The management of information
technology plays a crucial role, especially in the communication and
information sectors such as government establishments, where they build their
competitive advantage on credibility and information.
Every aspect of management in the
modern age relies heavily on information to thrive. Nothing moves without
information and it is generally believed that information is power and that he
who has it has power. It has even been described as a singular resource needed
to develop other resources, including workers in an organization. That is why Odger and Keeling (2000) deduced that
one way businesses meet information needs is to use Management Information
System (MIS). One approach by
which organization can utilize company’s capability is through the development
of Management Information System (MIS). There is no universally accepted
definition of Management Information System (MIS) and those that exist reflect
the emphasis and perhaps prejudice of their authors.
However, the term “Management
Information System” (MIS) can be seen as a database management system tailored
to the needs of managers or decision makers in an organization. MIS is a system
using formalized procedures to provide management at all levels in all
functions with appropriate information based on data from both internal and
external sources, to enable them to make timely and effective decisions for
planning, directing and controlling the activities for which they are
responsible Argyris (1991). It
should be noted from the above definition that the emphasis is on the uses to
which the information is put. Planning, directing and controlling are the
essential ingredients for “Management”. In essence, the processing of data,
information, and communicating the resulting information directly to the user,
is the key function of MIS. It should, therefore, be noted that MIS exists in
organizations in order to help them achieve objective to plan and control their
processes and operations, to help deal with the uncertainties, and to help in
adopting changing or indeed initiating change.
Essentially, therefore, information
has become a critical resource, just like energy, both of which are vital to
the wellbeing of individuals and organizations in the modern world. Like energy
and politics, technology is changing the ways in which information is captured,
processed, stored, disseminated and used augured by Charles (2002).
Management Information System (MIS)
is generally thought of as an integrated, user-machine system providing
information to support operations, management and decision-making function in
an organization Abdullahi (2004). As
a matter of fact, MIS is a special purpose system useful for management in an
organization. MIS is an accessible and rapid conveyor belt for appropriate high
quality information from the generation to its users.
The heart of an effective MIS,
therefore, is a carefully conceived, designed and executed database. Its level
corresponds to adaptive decisions. As a result, Management Information System
(MIS) enhances the administrative process and the operations and
decision-making powers of an organization. This explains why standard and
digitalized information processing devices such as the computer, word
processing and inter-net are highly welcome by organizations across the world.
Kotler
(2006) in a simpler manner defines Management
Information System (MIS) “as a planned system of the collecting, processing,
storing and dissemination of data in the form of information needed to carry
out the functions of management. In a way it is a documented report of the
activities that were planned and executed”. In other words, Management
Information System (MIS) is an integrated user machine system for providing
information to support the operation of management analysis and decision making
function, which utilizes computer hardware’s and software’s as well as manual
application for its procedures.
Despite the utilization of
Management Information System (MIS) in its various forms there still seems to
be some problems that infringe on the effectiveness of decision-making by
managers and the productivity of employees in an organization. This includes
issues bordering on monitoring the system perhaps as a result of limited
numbers of departmental managers and supervisors or their exit and also
non-qualitative factors like morale of workers, attitudes of workers to work as
well as the lack of flexibility of Management Information System (MIS) to
update itself, thus calling for an investigation to provide needed balance Akinola (2003). Management Information
System (MIS) seeks to know the motive for work and to find ways by which their
realization can be helped and encouraged. This service has a dynamic aspect of
management Saogy (1989).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Management Information System (MIS)
helps management in effective planning, organizing and controlling its
workforce to achieve desired results. It therefore, means that the ineffective
utilization of Management Information System (MIS) can result in low and poor
quality production by workers. Also implies that Management Information System
(MIS) is a necessity for successful management which could adversely affect the
productivity of workers if not properly managed.
Designing and implementing an
effective information system for human resource management becomes a challenge
to most government organizations and ministries. The cost and management of
these systems at times becomes constraints in the achievement of organizational
goals.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main aim of the study is to
examine the impact of management information system on effective human resource
management in an organization. Specific objectives of the study are:
i.
To determine the problems associated
with Management Information System (MIS).
ii.
To determine how Management
Information System influences the Human Resources Management.
iii.
To identify the benefits of Management
Information System (MIS) in the motivation of workers.
iv.
To determine the role played by Management
Information System (MIS) in the achievement of organizational goals.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
In-order to achieve the stated
objectives and guide the study, the following research questions will be
formulated:
i.
How can Management Information System
influence the Human Resources Management?
ii.
What are the benefits of Management
Information System (MIS) in the motivation of workers?
iii.
What role has Management Information
System (MIS) played in the achievement of organizational goals?
iv.
What are the problems associated with
Management Information System (MIS)?
1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
1.
Ho: There is no significant
relationship between management information system and effective human resource
management.
Hi:
There is significant relationship between management information system and
effective human resource management.
2.
Ho: There is no significant
relationship between management information system and achievement of
organizational goal.
Hi:
There is significant relationship between management information system and
achievement of organizational goal.
3.
Ho: There is no significant
relationship between ICT and Management Information System
Hi:
There is significant relationship between ICT and Management Information
Systems
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
In view of the role played by
information on how Management Information System (MIS) affects employees
productivity, the long essay was expected to be of benefit to students,
employers, employees, learning institutions and future researchers.
Students:
It is hoped that students would see the needs to equip and avail themselves of
the knowledge of Management Information System (MIS) in modern technologies to
fit into the challenging world of work.
Employers:
It is very much hoped that findings from this essay will provide ready tools
for employers (management) to make effective and efficient decisions on
managing their Human Resources (Man Power), especially in the effective use of
Management Information System (MIS).
Learning Institutions: Institutions
of higher learning are expected to use the needs and importance attached to the
training of their students in modern Management Information System (MIS) and
incorporates it in their learning experience to enable them fit adequately in
the labour market.
Future Researchers: This
long essay when completed is expected to be useful to future researchers by
providing them with reference materials.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE
STUDY
This essay covers an examination of
the impact of Management Information System (MIS) on effective Human Resources
Management (HRM) in an organization using Ministry of Communication and
Information, Kwara State as a case study.
However,
the essay has the following limitations:
i.
The unwillingness to disclose some
vital documents to the writer, which extensively hampered the essay in no small
measure.
ii.
Another limitation includes money and
time. For any research to be effectively accomplished; it needs adequate time
and money to produce necessary materials.
iii.
Scarcity of relevant textbooks in the
school library.