Operations Support
Systems
1. Transaction
Processing Systems
A transaction processing system (TPS) is
an information system that captures and processes data generated during an
organization’s day-to-day transactions. A transaction is a business
activity such as a deposit, payment, order or reservation. Clerical
staffs typically perform the activities associated with transaction processing,
which include the following:
- Recording a business
activity such as a student’s registration, a customer’s order, an employee’s
time card or a client’s payment.
- Confirming an action or
triggering a response, such as printing a student’s schedule, sending a
thank-you note to a customer, generating an employee’s paycheck or issuing a
receipt to a client.
- Maintaining data, which
involves adding new data, changing existing data, or removing unwanted data.
Transaction
processing systems were among the first computerized systems developed to
process business data – a function originally called data processing. Usually, the TPS
computerized an existing manual system to allow for faster processing, reduced
clerical costs and improved customer service.
2. Process Control Systems
Process Control
Application of technology to monitor and control physical processes. Refers
to the application of technology to monitor and control physical processes.
It’s useful, for example, in testing the temperature of food as it is being
prepared or gauging the moisture content of paper as it’s being manufactured.
Typically, it depends on sensors to collect data periodically. The data are
then analyzed by a computer programmed either to make adjustments or to signal
an operator.
3. Enterprise
Collaboration Systems
Enterprise Collaboration Systems is
a combination of groupware, tools, Internet,
extranets and other networks needed to support enterprise-wide
communications, such as the sharing of documents and knowledge to specific
teams and individuals within the enterprise. Some examples of enterprise
communication tools include e-mail, videoconferencing, collaborative document sharing, project
management tools and others. The objective of an ECS is to provide each user
with the tools for managing communications, documents and other information
that individuals need to manage their own tasks efficiently in their
departments.
Management Support Systems
1. Management Information Systems
Management information
systems that integrate data to provide formalized reports that summarize the
information to assist with managerial monitoring and controlling of organizational
activities and resources. Transaction-processing systems automate routine and
repetitive business transaction processing activities to reduce errors and
increase efficiency. MIS help managers exercise effective controlling of
organizational resources and activities. Rationally, MIS are designed to get
the right information, at the right time and amount, to the right user, in the
right format to allow managers to monitor and manage the organization better. For
example tracking inventory, billing, sales, or payroll data, with little
detail or structure.
2. Decision
Support Systems
Decision-making
is an essential component of organizational life. Decision makers receive and
analyses information using many different media, including traditional print,
group and interpersonal information exchanges and computer-based tools Decision
support systems (DSS) is a generic concept that describes information systems
that provide analytical modeling and information to support semi-structured and
unstructured organizational decision making. Common
characteristics of DSS include:
- Problem structured, used in semi-structured and
unstructured decision context
- Intended to support and augment decision makers
not replace them
- Supports most phases of decision-making process
- Uses underlying data and model
- Interactive: DSS is designed to be an
interactive decision aid
3. Executive
Information Systems
Executive
Information Systems is information systems that is highly interactive and that
provide the information and other functions necessary for strategic decision
making. EIS help managers get the most accurate and immediate picture of the
organization and its environment. For examples hardware, software, user
interface and telecommunication. The potential benefits of executive
information systems derive from the features listed above, and are similar to
those for other management support systems
- faster decision making due to earlier
identification of problems and faster delivery of information
- better decision making due mainly to a better
understanding of the organization and its environment
Specialized Processing Systems
An expert systems is
an information system that captures and stores the knowledge of human experts
and then imitates human reasoning and decision-making processes for those who
have less expertise. Expert systems are composed of two main
components: a knowledge base and inference rules. A knowledge
base is the combined subject knowledge and experiences of the human experts. The inference
rules are a set of logical judgments applied to the knowledge base each
time a user describes a situation to the expert system. For example interface that allows the user to express the human language such as English.
2. Knowledge
Management Systems
Knowledge management systems
refer to any kind of IT system that stores and retrieves knowledge,
improves collaboration, locates knowledge sources, mines repositories for
hidden knowledge, captures and uses knowledge, or in some other way enhances
the knowledge management process. For example computer science, public policy,
information and media.
3. Strategic
Information Systems
A Strategic
Information System (SIS) is a system that helps companies change or otherwise
alter their business strategy and/or structure. It is typically utilized to
streamline and quicken the reaction time to environmental changes and aid it in
achieving a competitive advantage. For examples primarily Enterprise resource
planning solutions that integrate or link the business processes to meet the
enterprise objectives for the optimization of the enterprise resources and the
real-time information Systems that intend to maintain a rapid-response and the
quality indicators.
4.
Functional
Business Systems
Functional business systems provide
decision-makers feedback and information on the daily operation of the
business. Transaction processing, management information, decision support and
many more information systems supports business functions, such as accounting,
finance, marketing, operations management and human resource management.
