Difference Between MIS and DSS

MIS and DSS are two abbreviations that are often heard in the field of Business Management. They differ in a few aspects. It is important to know that MIS stands for Management Information Systems whereas DSS stands for Decision Support Systems.
It is interesting to note that MIS 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.
DSS on the other hand 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.
On the other hand MIS focuses more on the information gathered and the information that has poured from different quarters. Experts on managerial behavior say that DSS focuses more on decision making. MIS on the other hand 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.
One of the finest differences between MIS and DSS is that MIS focuses on operational efficiency whereas DSS focuses more on making effective decision or in other words helping the company to do the right thing. Flow of information is from both sides, up and down in the case of MIS. On the other flow of information is only upward in the case of DSS.
In the case of DSS the report can be flexible whereas in the case of MIS the report is usually not flexible. MIS is characterized by an input of large volume of data, an output of summary reports and process characterized by a simple model. On the other hand DSS is featured by an input of low volume of data, an output of decision analysis and a process characterized by interactive model.
Experts would also say that MIS is a primary level of decision making whereas DSS is the ultimate and the main part of the decision. This is one of the most talked about different between the two.
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.

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