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DESIGNING AN M.I.S.
M.I.S. is commonly used to denote Management Information System as
well as Marketing Information System. We are using the abbreviation to denote
marketing information system. Marketing information system involves a three
step process.
1)
Defining the information needs
2)
Organising the information
3)
Utilising the results of the information.
The steps involved in designing and developing an M.I.S.
1)
Identifying the broad information requirements of the organisation.
2)
Classifying the information requirements and identifying whether it is for
planning purpose or control purposes.
3)
Evaluating the cost of collecting and processing the information
4)
Comparing the cost Vs the benefits.
5)
Deciding the frequency and timing of collection of the information
6)
Identifying the sources of the information
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7)
Designing the mechanisms/Procedures for gathering, processing, storing
and retrieval of information.
8)
Analysing and interpreting the information and disseminating it to the
right person at the right time and in the right manner.
9)
Monitoring, maintaining, reviewing and improving the system.
REQUISITES OF GOOD M.I.S.
A good MIS should fulfil the following requirements
1)
It must be a unified system
2)
It should be conceived and used as a marketing decision support system
3)
It must be compatible with the marketing organisation of the firm and
with the overall level of sophistication of the firm.
4)
It must be user oriented and it must secure the involvement of user
5)
It must also involve and motivate the suppliers of the information.
6)
It must be economical. The cost value ratio of the information processed
by the MIS should be favourable to the firm.
7)
It must adopt the principle of selectivity in information.
8)
It must be capable of absorbing smoothly any changes that may become
necessary in the system.
9)
It must be fast.
There will be several information components and several activity
components in any MIS – in collection, processing, storing and transmission.
All these components must be integrated in to a unified system and managed by
a single centralised agency. The entire set of information components and
activity components must form a single information unit. The chief of the MIS
must function as the consultant, co-ordinator and controller of all the
components of the MIS.
The MIS should not only be economical user oriented and selective but
also be a fast system. The sales reports and other information flow must be
regular and timely. The stored information must also be easily and quickly
retrievable. Within the organisation, the information must move fast to higher
levels of management where it can be used for effective decision making.
Information that comes late and incomplete, adversely affects the capacity of
the firm to exploit a marketing opportunity or to defend itself against a
marketing threat.
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CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD MARKETING INFOMRATION
a)
Relevance
(for decision making)
b)
Clarity
c)
Completeness
d)
Confidentiality
e)
Precision
f)
Economy
g)
Reliability (from genuine source)
h)
Accuracy
i)
Timeliness
j)
Objectivity
k)
Authenticity
l)
Strategic value
The MIS should turn out all the information that is needed by marketing
decision makers. It must come to them in the manner and from in which they
need it and at the time they need it.. When the MIS is designed and operated in
the right way, it is possible for the system to meet the entire data needs of the
marketing people. Since in the present times the MIS in most companies is
computerised, practically any kind of information output/report that is needed
for marketing decisions can be made available by the MIS
The out put/reports emanating from the MIS are usually classified into
the following four categories.
1)
Periodic reports
2)
Triggered reports
3)
Demand Reports
4)
Plan reports.
Periodic reports are presented in predetermined formats at specified
intervals of time.
Triggered reports are reports on specific situations.
Demand reports are the answers provided by the system to specific
queries raised by marketing decision makers.
Plan reports are reports tailor made for assisting the formulation of sales
forecasts sales plans, distribution plans, facilities plans and sales budgets. Thus,
there are different methods of collecting marketing information.
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