Information Technology and Systems
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Chapter 12 : MIS - Implementation, Evaluation, and Maintenance
Organizational Change and MIS Implementation
Change Approach to MIS Implementation
Planning the MIS Implementation
Identify and Establish Relationships among Tasks
Establish a Schedule
Prepare a Cost Estimate for the Tasks
Establish a Reporting and Controlling System
The MIS Implementation Process
Organizing for Implementation
Developing Procedures for Implementation
Train the Users
Hardware and Software Acquisition
Develop Forms for Data Collection
Developing Files for Storage of Data
Test the System
Cutover
Documenting the System
Evaluation of the MIS Implementation
Problems in MIS Evaluation
Challenges in MIS Implementation
MIS Control and Maintenance
Changes in Governmental Policies and Regulations
Changes in Economic Conditions
Changes in Industry and Competitive Conditions
Use of Latest Technologies
Problems Involved in MIS Maintenance
Chapter Summary
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It is important to understand the possibility of resistance to change
cropping up in the organization during MIS implementation. Resistance to
change can occur either due to the employees not accepting the new business
processes in the fear of losing jobs or because of technically deficient
systems which are not very user friendly. It may also be due to the
interactions between the characteristics of people and the characteristics
of the system. In order to avoid such resistance, organizations try to
educate their employees about the various benefits that the MIS brings with
it, both at the organizational level as well as at the personal level. To
increase the operating efficiency of the system, employees should also be
trained in terms of operating the MIS in their specific functions.
The implementation process is easy to carry out if the employees accept the
changes in the organization. The process starts with planning for
implementation where relationships among various tasks have to be identified
and established, schedules for completing all the tasks should be prepared,
cost estimates for various tasks have to be drawn up, and a reporting and
control system has to be established. |
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Once the planning is done, the implementation process can be executed
smoothly. The steps in the process include: organizing for implementation,
developing procedures for implementation, training the users, acquiring
hardware and software, developing forms for data collection, developing
files for storage of data, testing the system, cutover, and documenting the
system.
The implementation process should be followed by evaluation of the
implementation. The MIS can be evaluated for the efficiency with which the
allocated resources are utilized in the development/implementation and the
effectiveness of its usage after the implementation. Typically, there are
challenges galore in implementing the MIS. The top management's commitment
toward the MIS implementation is the strongest defense that can be built up
against all these challenges. The top management's support helps the
organization to win over the different challenges and problems that can
surface during the implementation.
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Short Case Studies / Caselets