Contributions of the management sciences to the evolution of management information systems

Abstract

The "management sciences" concern disciplines that identify, extend, or unify scientific knowledge pertaining to the process and substance of management. The field of management science is often closely allied with the area called operations research through common analytical methods and models. The application and implementation of management science recognizes well the behavioral and economic realities of management practice in organizations. During the past twenty-five years, the management sciences and management's use of information systems technology have evolved together. In this survey we highlight three aspects of this mutual evolution: first, as a basis for enunciating and understanding issues involved in theory and practice; second, as providing tools and techniques to solve managerial and technical problems related to MIS design and development; and third, as a component of "MIS technology" available for application and use.