THE EFFECT OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM ON AN ORGANIZATION'S COMPETENCE TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE HUMAN RESOURCES

1.1 Introduction

Management Information System (MIS) is a system that to convert data from internal and external sources into information and to communicate that information in an appropriate form to managers at all levels in all function to enable them to make timely and effective decisions for planning, directing and controlling the activities for which they are responsible (Lucey, 2005). Human Resource Management is an invisible asset in an organization. It creates value when embedded in the operational system that enhances organizational performance and ability to deal with turbulent environment. The goal of Human Resource Management is to maximize employee’s contribution in order to achieve optimal productivity and effectiveness while simultaneously attaining individual objective and societal objectives.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.

1.2 Background of 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.

Management Information System constitutes an efficient tools and even threat to management. Planning involves the establishment of strategies to help achieve the set objectives or the purpose. Information is required to identify as many alternatives and to complete the trade off involved in the choice to be made loaning required model knowledge of input to a process and output of model.

The current era is the age of information, which has increased in size and different types, and its importance has emerged in all organizations and all sectors, and this is why the latter’s interest in it has increased, as a result of the acceleration of its transmission and accumulation waves at a tremendous speed and the inability of traditional methods to address it, especially that information that is used in banks, and this explains the interest of the latter (El-Waer and Telilani, 2017).

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).

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effect of Management Information System on an Organization’s Competence to Effectively Manage Human Resources.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that 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.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to investigate the Effect of Management Information System on an Organization’s Competence to Effectively Manage Human Resources. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To determine how Management Information System influences the Human Resources Management;
2. To identify the benefits of Management Information System (MIS) in the motivation of workers;
3. To determine the problems associated with Management Information System; and
4. To determine the role played by Management Information System (MIS) in the achievement of organizational goals.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• How can Management Information System influence the Human Resources Management?
• What are the benefits of Management Information System (MIS) in the motivation of workers?
• What are the problems associated with Management Information System?
• What role has Management Information System (MIS) played in the achievement of organizational goals?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: There is no significant relationship between management information system and effective human resource management.
• H1: There is significant relationship between management information system and effective human resource management.

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There is no significant relationship between management information system and achievement of organizational goal.
• H1: There is significant relationship between management information system and achievement of organizational goal.

Hypothesis Three

• H0: There is no significant relationship between ICT and Management Information System
• H1: There is significant relationship between ICT and Management Information Systems

1.7 Significance of 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.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Effect of Management Information System on an Organization’s Competence to Effectively Manage Human Resources using Ministry of Communication and Information, Kwara State as a case study.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Establishment Policies: Establishment policies posed a serious limitation as most staffs are not ready to release information needed for this research work. There were lots of information needed from the staffs of this establishment to enhance the study which took them time to release or they did not release at all for security purposes, hence the scope was reduced.
3. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
4. Lack of Initial Cooperation from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.

1.10 Definition of Terms

Information:

Data that has been processed in a way that is meaningful and beneficial to the user’s recipients.

Management:

Management is the process by which the managers create, direct, maintain and operate purposeful organization through coordination human effort.

System:

This is the putting together of different parts to make up a whole to achieve a common goals.

Efficiency:

The power or ability to produce the desire or satisfactory result; it could also be classified as output all over input.