Information Systems Reengineering, Integration and Normalization - Information Systems Reengineering, Integration and Normalization - page 3

1.1.4 Solution in Converting File Systems to Database Systems

As the requirements of the users increased, a more powerful and flexible data pro-
cessing system was required. This was achieved by abstracting the routines for
management of data and combining the data files into a large corpus of structured
information solutions, known as the database management system (DBMS) or da-
tabase. Data can be shared and its redundancy can be more easily supported with a
database system. Security and recovery are also more easily implemented by main-
taining a database instead of a set of various files. Even database programming can
be easier to support because of the standard utilization of a database among all the
production application programs. Once the problems of file management are solved
through the introduction of database systems, practitioners are able to consider the
information needs of the organization in a new light.

1.1.5 Management Information System (MIS)

Traditionally, an organization is seen as a three-tiered pyramid, where there is stra-
tegic planning and policy-making at the top, management planning and control ac-
tivities in the middle, and routine operational activities at the bottom. The corporate
database is composed of data pertaining to the organization, its operations, its plans,
and its environment. Figure 1.1 shows all internal and external components and
their relationships in a computerized MIS (Yau and Fong 1989 ).

Money Market Larbor Market

Local & Global
Economy

Government
Policies

Customer

Computer
Vendors

Strategic
Management

Suppliers

Technical
Management

Software
Houses

Banks

Operational Management

Information
System

Actual Operation

Information
Bureaux

Labor
Unions

Corporation Database