how can information systems lead to the success or failure of modern organizations? course hero

by Cecilia Harris MD 9 min read

Why do management information systems fail?

Many a times Management Information Systems (MIS) is a failure. The common factors which are responsible for this are listed as follows: The MIS is conceived as a data processing and not as an information processing system.

What are the features of a successful management information system?

If a Management Information Systems (MIS) is to be success then it should have all the features listed as follows: The MIS is integrated into the managerial functions. It sets clear objectives to ensure that the MIS focuses on the major issues of the business.

What makes an organization fail or succeed?

Clear performance focus Success comes from a tight, clear connection between change expectations and business results. Failures come when an organization is overly focused on activities, skills and culture, or structural changes without creating a tight linkage to business results. 2.

What strategies can organisations take to ensure success of Information System projects?

Strategies organisations can take to ensure success of information system projects. Firstly, to ensure success of information system projects there is need for a clear and well defined IS goal.

What were the problems with the engineering management subsystem?

What is the CIO responsible for?

What is the housing and residents management subsystem?

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Top 10 Reasons Why Systems Projects Fail - Dulcian, Inc.

1 Top 10 Reasons Why Systems Projects Fail Learn from an experienced project manager how to avoid the common pitfalls that often lead to the failure of information systems projects.

Information Systems: Success or Failure?: Journal of Computer ...

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The success or failure of management information systems: A theoretical ...

@article{osti_6684482, title = {The success or failure of management information systems: A theoretical approach}, author = {Curlee, T. R. and Tonn, B. T.}, abstractNote = {Work has been done by various disciplines to address the reasons why modern, computerized management information systems either succeed or fail. However, the studies are not based on a well-defined conceptual framework and ...

5 of the Biggest Information Technology Failures and Scares

2. A large drug wholesaler failed large implementation of ERP. In the early 90s, FoxMeyer, a healthcare service company, was the fifth largest drug wholesaler in the United States, with $5 billion in annual sales and around 500,000 items shipped daily.

Why is it important to plan before implementation of an information system?

Its failure can cause a huge financial loss to an organization and therefore there is need for adequate planning before its implementation to ensure that desired expectations are met. An information system is a type of socio-technical system which is critical to the survival and well-being of companies.

What is information system?

An information system is a set of elements (people, data, and procedures) working together to provide useful information (Senn, 1990, p8). Also, information system (IS) is any set of information technology and people’s activities using that technology to backup operations, management, and decision-making (SEI Report, “Glossary” ).

Why is MIS kept under continuous surveillance?

The MIS is kept under continuous surveillance, so that its openn system design is modified according to the changing information needs. MIS focuses on the results and goals, and highlights the factors and reasons for non achievement. MIS is not allowed to end up into an information generationn mill avoiding the noise in the information and ...

What is a MIS in management?

The MIS recognizes that a manager is a human being andn therefore, the systems must consider all the human behavioral factors in the process of the management. The MIS recognizes that the different information needs forn different objectives must be met with.

What is MIS design?

The MIS is easy to operate and, therefore, the design of the MIS has such features which make up a user-friendly design . MIS recognizes that the information needs become obsolete and newn needs emerge. The MIS design, therefore, has a basic potential capability to quickly meet new needs of information. The MIS concentrates on developing the ...

Is MIS a failure?

Many a times Management Information Systems (MIS) is a failure. The common factors which are responsible for this are listed as follows: The MIS is conceived as a data processing and not as an information processing system.

What were the problems with the engineering management subsystem?

The engineering department had two engineers working at the time when system requirements were being gathered. One of the main problems with the engineering management subsystem is that none of the department engineers were asked to participate in the requirements definition process. This resulted in missing important system functionality that the first department manager had failed to include as requirements. According to the engineers who were asked to utilize the system after it was deployed, it was not flexible enough to handle their day-to-day operational requirements, and hence refrained from using it. The department manager who defined the initial system requirements had actually defined them for activities that needed to be carried out by his engineers, and hence the requirement did not represent the actual needs of the end-users (Somerville & Sawyer, 1977). Both the CIO and system analyst relied strictly on the manager‘s defined requirements and unfortunately did not communicate with the main would-be users of the system. One of the main success factors for software project success described by Herlea (1999) is user involvement in the requirements definition process, this was surely missing in this case.

What is the CIO responsible for?

As most departments and divisions were unwilling or incapable of using their developed software modules, the CIO had to take on the responsibility of testing the system himself. The software contractor had provided a three months period during which the foundation can report any missing functionality or system bugs. Armed with the systems requirements document, the CIO made sure that customer requirements were implemented in the system and that the system operated correctly. A good number of bugs were discovered in the system as a result of performed acceptance testing. This process however, being carried-out by a non-expert in the subject matter of tested subsystems, did not capture missing functionality not expressed through system requirements. This is a good example again of the problem of resistance by system users (Reel 1999) who were not willing to use the system and hence not testing it for completeness. The CEO and department managers failed to play a more visible role in making sure that end-users actually performed their required tasks.

What is the housing and residents management subsystem?

The housing and residents management subsystem is a very innovative module. Its requirements were mostly envisioned by one of the foundation‘s architectural full-time consultants. It is used for creating housing models, including the definitions of each model in the number and types of rooms as well as the different components within each room (e.g., A/C, sink, oven, door knob, etc.). Beneficiaries that have been selected are assigned a unit number that is also defined through this subsystem. Additionally, the subsystem provides the ability to track maintenance requests by tenants. This includes specific detailed information about the maintenance request including the actual component of the housing unit needing maintenance, the action taken, the cost of repair, and the name of the maintenance engineer, etc. Naturally, this system should enable the foundation to track all maintenance requests, costs, problem components, and even problem tenants. Unfortunately with the conclusion of the first housing community project, a managerial decision was made such that the foundation will not be responsible for maintaining the inside of housing units. Tenants themselves will need to bare the cost, in an effort to instill upon them the value of responsibility, and to make them aware that maintenance repairs can be costly, and hence be more apt to take good care of the assigned housing unit. Tenants would need to find their own maintenance engineers as the housing communities did not hire any. This meant however, that the main functionalities of the subsystem will hardly be utilized. The main benefits of the subsystem will be limited to mainly realizing which unit the beneficiary lives in and what are the different model designs. This case definitely reflects the problem of ill-defined scope and change in business needs (Reel 1999).

Why does success happen?

A compelling and urgent case for change. Success happens because there is a widely accepted ‘felt’ need for change. Failure occurs when there is no demonstrated commitment to the need for change. There is no clear ‘pain’ for remaining in the status quo. 4.

Why does change work?

In no particular order: 1. Clear performance focus. Success comes from a tight, clear connection between change expectations and business results.

What were the problems with the engineering management subsystem?

The engineering department had two engineers working at the time when system requirements were being gathered. One of the main problems with the engineering management subsystem is that none of the department engineers were asked to participate in the requirements definition process. This resulted in missing important system functionality that the first department manager had failed to include as requirements. According to the engineers who were asked to utilize the system after it was deployed, it was not flexible enough to handle their day-to-day operational requirements, and hence refrained from using it. The department manager who defined the initial system requirements had actually defined them for activities that needed to be carried out by his engineers, and hence the requirement did not represent the actual needs of the end-users (Somerville & Sawyer, 1977). Both the CIO and system analyst relied strictly on the manager‘s defined requirements and unfortunately did not communicate with the main would-be users of the system. One of the main success factors for software project success described by Herlea (1999) is user involvement in the requirements definition process, this was surely missing in this case.

What is the CIO responsible for?

As most departments and divisions were unwilling or incapable of using their developed software modules, the CIO had to take on the responsibility of testing the system himself. The software contractor had provided a three months period during which the foundation can report any missing functionality or system bugs. Armed with the systems requirements document, the CIO made sure that customer requirements were implemented in the system and that the system operated correctly. A good number of bugs were discovered in the system as a result of performed acceptance testing. This process however, being carried-out by a non-expert in the subject matter of tested subsystems, did not capture missing functionality not expressed through system requirements. This is a good example again of the problem of resistance by system users (Reel 1999) who were not willing to use the system and hence not testing it for completeness. The CEO and department managers failed to play a more visible role in making sure that end-users actually performed their required tasks.

What is the housing and residents management subsystem?

The housing and residents management subsystem is a very innovative module. Its requirements were mostly envisioned by one of the foundation‘s architectural full-time consultants. It is used for creating housing models, including the definitions of each model in the number and types of rooms as well as the different components within each room (e.g., A/C, sink, oven, door knob, etc.). Beneficiaries that have been selected are assigned a unit number that is also defined through this subsystem. Additionally, the subsystem provides the ability to track maintenance requests by tenants. This includes specific detailed information about the maintenance request including the actual component of the housing unit needing maintenance, the action taken, the cost of repair, and the name of the maintenance engineer, etc. Naturally, this system should enable the foundation to track all maintenance requests, costs, problem components, and even problem tenants. Unfortunately with the conclusion of the first housing community project, a managerial decision was made such that the foundation will not be responsible for maintaining the inside of housing units. Tenants themselves will need to bare the cost, in an effort to instill upon them the value of responsibility, and to make them aware that maintenance repairs can be costly, and hence be more apt to take good care of the assigned housing unit. Tenants would need to find their own maintenance engineers as the housing communities did not hire any. This meant however, that the main functionalities of the subsystem will hardly be utilized. The main benefits of the subsystem will be limited to mainly realizing which unit the beneficiary lives in and what are the different model designs. This case definitely reflects the problem of ill-defined scope and change in business needs (Reel 1999).

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