Short for
management information system or
management information services, and pronounced as separate letters, MIS refers broadly to a computer-based system that provides managers with the tools for organizing, evaluating and efficiently running their departments. In order to provide past, present and prediction information, an MIS can include
software that helps in decision making, data resources such as
databases, the
hardware resources of a system,
decision support systems, people management and project management
applications, and any computerized processes that enable the department to run efficiently.
Within companies and large organizations, the department responsible for computer systems is sometimes called the MIS department. Other names for MIS include IS (Information Services) and IT (Information Technology).
