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Chapter 2 • Systems Integration 45

Type of System People Supported

Executive Support Top Managers
Systems Strategic
Support
Knowledge Workers
Decision Support Systems Staff Support
Professionals

Management Information System Managerial Support Midlevel Managers

Line Managers and
Transaction Support Systems Operational Support
Operators

Office Automation System Communication & Collaboration Support Clerical Staff

Operating & IT Staff
Database System Infrastructure Support

FIGURE 2-6 IS as Categorized by Functional and Hierarchical Models

levels of analysis and details of information. Figure 2-6 shows these various information systems
by levels of management and functional areas of the organization.
Beyond the system infrastructure (e.g., operating systems, database, and networking) the
lowest level of the IS pyramid consists of office automation systems (OAS), which support
the activities of employees, and transaction processing systems (TPS), which are used to record
detailed information in all the major functional areas and to create new information. TPS are the
workhorses of the organization. They support the organization’s operations and record every
transaction, whether it is a sale, a purchase, or a payment. They are often categorized by the
functional areas in the organization (e.g., sales, purchasing, and shipping and receiving).
Management information systems (MIS) are reporting systems that categorize and
organize information as required by the midlevel managers. These reports can be sales by
product for a quarterly period, or they can be production schedules by manufacturing plants.
Decision support systems (DSS) are analytical systems that use mathematical equations to
process data from TPS to assistant managers in conducting what-if analyses, in identifying
trends, and in generally assisting in making data-driven decisions. It could be as simple as using
spreadsheet software (e.g., goal-seeking, pivot tables) or something more sophisticated such as
online analytical processing (OLAP) software.
Expert systems also assist managers in their decision making using qualitative analysis that
captures problem-solving heuristics to identify solutions. It is a very useful tool for training
novice managers in real-life situations by providing access to a knowledge base of experienced
managers. Finally, executive support systems (ESS) provide a visual dashboard of strategic
information to top-level management in real time (e.g., a snapshot of the organizational perfor-
mance). These systems are typically customized for each functional area of the organization.