Information system

Information system is a formal, sociotechnical, organizational system designed to collect, process, store, and distribute information. In a sociotechnical perspective, information systems are composed by four components: task, people, structure (or roles), and technology.

Definition

An information system is a group of related components that interact to produce information. It focuses on the internal rather than the external. It helps an organization to manage its business and to perform its functions.

Types of Information Systems

There are several types of information systems, including the following common types:

• Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)
• Management Information Systems (MIS)
• Decision Support Systems (DSS)
• Executive Information Systems (EIS)

Components

An information system has the following components:

• Hardware: This includes machines such as computers, servers, networking equipment.
• Software: These are the programs used to handle the data. These include programs and the operating system.
• Data: This could be in the form of databases, data warehouses, spreadsheets, files, and other forms.
• Procedures: These are the instructions and rules that guide the design and use of the information system.
• People: These are the users who use the information system to carry out business tasks.

Role in Organizations

Information systems support different types of decisions at different levels of the organizational hierarchy. Major types of systems in organizations are:

• Operational-level systems
• Knowledge level systems
• Management-level systems
• Strategic-level systems

See Also

• Information Technology
• Database Management System
• Computer Science
• Data Processing

• Four-Level Pyramid model
  Four-Level Pyramid model
• IS Relationships Chart
  IS Relationships Chart