The key difference between MIS and DSS is that MIS is a primary level of decision making whereas DSS is the ultimate and the main part of the decision.
MIS and DSS are two abbreviations that are often heard in the field of Business Management. They differ in a few aspects. MIS is a complementary network of hardware and software cooperating to collect, process, store and distributes information to support the managerial role to increase business values and profits. DSS is an information system that supports business or organizational decision-making activities.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is MIS
3. What is DSS
4. Side by Side Comparison – MIS vs DSS in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is MIS?
MIS stands for Management Information Systems. It is a type of link that assists in the communication between managers of various disciplines in a business firm or an organization. On the whole, it plays a very important role in building up communication among the corporate people. MIS is characterized by an input of large volume of data, an output of summary reports and process characterized by a simple model. Usually, in MIS, the flow of information is from both sides, up and down.
Figure 01: MIS
MIS focuses on the information gathered and the information that has poured from different quarters. Furthermore, it focuses more on planning the report of various topics concerned with the organization that would assist the managers to take vital decisions pertaining to the functioning of the organization. Moreover, MIS is characterized by an input of large volume of data, an output of summary reports and process characterized by a simple model.
What is DSS?
DSS stands for Decision Support Systems. It is an improvement of the concept of MIS. It is true that both of them differ in terms of their focus. DSS focuses more on leadership. It is all about senior management in a firm providing innovative vision. Therefore, the Experts on managerial behavior say that DSS focuses more on decision making.
Figure 02: DSS
Usually, the flow of information is only upward in DSS. It is featured by an input of low volume of data, an output of decision analysis and a process characterized by interactive model. Moreover, DSS is featured by an input of low volume of data, an output of decision analysis and a process characterized by interactive model.
What is the Difference Between MIS and DSS?
MIS stands for Management Information Systems. It is a complementary network of hardware and software cooperating to collect, process, store and distributes information to support the managerial role to increase business values and profits. The main focus of MIS is on the operational efficiency. Moreover, its flow of information is from both sides, up and down. Furthermore, MIS takes an input of large volume of data and outputs summary report. Its characterized process is a simple model. Usually, the MIS based reports are not very flexible.
DSS stands for Decision Support Systems. It is an information system that supports business or organizational decision-making activities. The main focus of DSS is on making the effective decision for the company to do the right thing. Moreover, the flow of information in DSS is only to upward. Furthermore, DSS uses the input of low volume of data and output decision analysis. Its characterized process is an interactive model. Usually, the DSS based reports are more flexible.
Summary – MIS vs DSS
The difference between MIS and DSS is that MIS is a primary level of decision making whereas DSS is the ultimate and the main part of the decision. As a matter of fact, MIS is all about theory whereas DSS is all about practice and analysis. An organization should employ both the systems effectively.
Reference
1.“Management Information System.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 16 May 2018. Available here
2.“Decision Support System.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 May 2018. Available here
Image Courtesy:
1.’Management Information System’ by Nick Youngson (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Alpha Stock Images
2.’Decision Support System for John Day Reservoir’By USGS: Project contact Michael J. Parsley, U.S. Geological Survey (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia