MANAGERIAL DECISION MAKING AND INFORMATION SYSTEM

Managerial Decision Making and Information System

Abstract

This study investigated the use of Management Information Systems (MIS) in decision-making on longterm planning, short-term planning and budgeting in the South-West Nigerian Universities. The study used the descriptive research design of the survey type. Data were collected from a sample of 600 subjects consisting of 400 academic staff holding administrative staff positions and 200 senior administrative staff heading units using stratified random sampling technique. Data collected were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, means, standard deviation and t-test statistics. The three hypotheses generated were tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that MIS was not adequately used in decision making process on long-term planning, short-term planning and budgeting. There was no significant difference between Federal and State universities in terms of the use of MIS for decision making on both long and short term planning. There was significant difference in the use of MIS for decision making on budgeting between Federal and State universities in favour of the Federal universities. It was recommended that the MIS units should be adequately financed and maintained to ensure a free flow of information and adequate use of MIS in decision-making on shortterm and long-term planning as well as budgeting.

Managerial Decision Making and Information System

Introduction

The role of information in decision making cannot be overemphasized. Effective decision making demands accurate, timely and relevant information. According to Aminu (1986), information resource is one of the major issues and indices of university planning. Where the relevant information required for planning are not available at the appropriate time, there is bound to be poor planning, inappropriate decision making, poor priority of needs, defective programming or scheduling of activities. Hence, the university system will not be efficient and effective in its operation. Poor management information system has been identified as a bottleneck in the successful management of universities in Nigeria (NUC, 1987).

The more complex an organization's structure is, the greater the need for coordination within and between sections and departments. However, central to the needed coordination is information. This view is buttressed by Murdick and Ross (1971), when they opined that:

Information is absolutely essential to the survival of an organization. As organisations grow, the pressure of scale, complexity and an increased rate of change make adequate information processing capacity inevitable, if effective control, consequent upon coordination of individual activities is to be achieved.

Thus, the information needed for effective decisionmaking in universities cannot be provided from people's often-deficient memories. Moreover, it is impossible to plan activities over a long period of time effectively without effective information. Information is supposed to be created through the discipline of enquiry and research with peer moderation to ensure validity and societal influence. The knowledge to be created or established must be stored to ensure continuity of reason, and adaptive academic pursuit. The stored information must then be recalled at will and be disseminated for use in taking decisions, which are in the interest of the society at ...