Unit 9 Executive Information Systems; Enterprise Information Systems; & Information Resources Information Systems MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 8/E Raymond McLeod, Jr. and George Schell Copyright 2001 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1-1

Chapter 16 Executive Information Systems MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 8/E Raymond McLeod, Jr. and George Schell Copyright 2001 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 16-2

The Executive Position n Unique demands of the executive position n Executives require unique information processing An executive is not just a lower-level manager on a higher level! 16-3

Marketing information system Manufacturing information system Financial information system Human resource information system Environmental information and data Top-level managers A Firm Without An EIS 16-4

Environmental Information and data Marketing information system Manufacturing information system Financial information system Human resource information system Executive information system A Firm With An EIS 16-5

What Do Executives Do? n Term executive is loosely applied –No clear dividing line between executives and other managers n Executive manager on the upper level of the organizational hierarchy who exerts a strong influence on the firm n Long term planning horizon 16-6

Fayol's Management Functions n Plan n Organize n Staff n Direct n Control 16-7

Mintzberg's Managerial Roles n Different levels of management perform same roles but relative time spent on each differs n High-level management focus –Long-range, entrepreneurial improvements –Responding to unanticipated situations 16-8

Kotter's Agenda and Networks n John P. Kotter, Harvard professor n Executives follow a three step strategy –Agenda -- objectives the firm is to achieve –Networks -- cooperative relationships »Hundreds or thousands »Inside and outside the firm –Environment -- norms and values so the network members can achieve agendas 16-9

How Do Executives Think? n Daniel J. Isenberg, Harvard professor n Studied more than one dozen executives over a 2-year period n What they think about 1. How to get things done 2. A few overriding issues 16-10

How Do Executives Think? (cont.) n More concerned with process than solution n Thought processes do not always follow the step-by-step patterns of the systems approach n Intuition is used at each step 16-11

Unique Information Needs n Mintzberg was first to conduct a formal study of executive information needs n Studied 5 executives in early 1970s n Five basic activities –desk work –telephone calls –unscheduled meetings –scheduled meetings –tours 16-12

How Minzberg’s CEOs Spent Time Legend: Interpersonal Communication Desk Work 22% Unscheduled Meetings 10% Telephone Calls 6% Scheduled Meetings 59% Tours 3% 16-13

Unique Information Needs n Jones & McLeod Study n Studied 5 executives in early 1980s n Questions 1) How much information reaches the executive ? 2) What was the information value ? 3) What are the information sources ? 4) What media are used to communicate the information ? 5) What use is made of the information ? 16-14

HIGHHIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH AVG LOW AVG LOW AVG LOW AVG LOW Bank CEO Vice President of Tax The Volume of Information Reaching the Executives Retail Chain CEO Insurance President Vice President of Finance AVG LOW Number of Transactions 16-15

Jones & McLeod Study (cont.) n How much information reaches the executive –A transaction - a communication involving any medium –Daily volume »Varies from executive to executive »Varies from day to day 16-16

Vice President of tax Bank CEO Value Percentage of transactions The Value of Information Reaching Executives 16-17

Sources of Information n Some executives went down 7 levels to gather information n Sources were internal and external n External sources provided the most volume but also the lowest average value 16-18

Environment Upper levels The executive Committees Internal support units and individuals 1 level down 2 levels down 3 levels down 4 levels down Legend: Percentage of total trans-actions Averagetransactionvalue The Sources of Information Reaching the Executives

Media Used for Communication n Written media accounts for 61% of the transactions –Computer reports –Letters and memos –Periodicals n Oral media is preferred by executives –Tours –Business meals –Telephone calls 16-20

The Executive Does not Control: n Letters n Memos n Telephone calls n Unscheduled meetings 16-21

EIS Features n A central purpose n A common core of data n Two principal methods of use –Retrieve reports –Conduct analyses n A support organization –EIS coach –EIS chauffeur From Rockart and Treacy 16-22

Putting Computer Use in Perspective Two key points: 1. Computer use is personal 2. Computer produces only a portion of the executive's information executive's information 16-23

Suggestions to Improve EISs 1. Take an inventory 2. Stimulate high-value sources 3. Take advantage of opportunities 4. Tailor the system to the executive 5. Take advantage of technology 16-24

Personal computer Make corporate information available Information requests Executive database Corporate database Electronic mailboxes Software library Current news, explanations External data and information Information displays Executive workstation Corporate mainframe To other executive workstation To other executive workstation An EIS Model 16-25

Make corporate information available Information requests Executive database Corporate database Electronic mailboxes Software library Current news, explanations External data and information Information displays Executive workstation Corporate mainframe To other executive workstation To other executive workstation An EIS Model 16-26

Dialogue Between Executive and EIS n Typically by a series of menus, keyboarding is minimized n Drill down to specific information needed from the overview level 16-27

MEDIAL INTERNATIONAL GROUP MIG Product Profitability Analysis Magazines in Europe have been performing poorly. While sales are up, production costs have soared. This is due to the labor disputes in the pulp and paper industry. Starting next month, costs should be back in line with earlier projections. Actual Planned Variance %Variance Newspapers 1,421,709 1,559,184 (137,475) (8.82) Magazines 490, ,687 (27,832) (5.37) Periodicals 1,912,564 2,077,872 (165,308) (7.96) Actual Planned Variance %Variance Newspapers 1,421,709 1,559,184 (137,475) (8.82) Magazines 490, ,687 (27,832) (5.37) Periodicals 1,912,564 2,077,872 (165,308) (7.96) x100x100 An Information Display That Includes a Computer- Generated Narrative Explanation 16-28

SALES - $ IN MILLIONS AS OF NOVEMBER 1994 SOURCE GLORIA YANDERS BILL BLASS SALES CURRENTHISTORY YEAR TO DATEOVER/ UNDER MB PROGRAM ACTUAL THIS MO LAST MO HERC $861.4 $30.7 $59.1 C-5B OTHER TOTAL $1,882.0 $43.9 $44.4 YEAR-END FORECAST CURRENT FORECAST Y-L O/U MB YR CURRENT O/ U PRIOR $949.8 $ $ $ $ $ COMMENTS FAVORABLE VARIANCE PRIMARILY DUE TO TWO ADDITIONAL HERCULES SALES FORECAST BUDGET ACTUAL 16-29

EIS Implementation Decisions Three Key Questions: 1. Do we need an EIS? 2. Is there application-development software available? 3. Should we purchase prewritten EIS software? software? 16-30

Advantages of Prewritten Software 1. Fast 2. Doesn't strain information services 3. Tailored to executives 16-31

Prerequisite Activities for the EIS Purchasing and Performance Systems Information technology standards Information needs Analysis of Organization Information Systems Plan Corporate data model EIS 16-32

Future EIS Trends n Use will become commonplace n Decreasing software prices n Will influence MIS/DSS n The computer will always play a support role 16-33