Kenneth and Jane Laudon identify five eras of
MIS evolution corresponding to five phases in the development of computing technology: 1) mainframe and minicomputer
computing, 2) personal computers, 3) client/server networks, 4)
enterprise computing, and 5) cloud computing.151
The first
(mainframe and minicomputer) era was ruled by IBM and their mainframe
computers; these computers would often take up whole rooms and require teams to
run them -
IBM supplied the hardware and the software. As technology advanced
these computers were able to handle greater capacities and therefore reduce their cost. Smaller, more
affordable minicomputers allowed larger businesses to run their own computing
centers in-house.
The second (personal computer) era began
in 1965 as microprocessors started to compete with mainframes and minicomputers and accelerated the process
of decentralizing computing power from large
data centers to smaller offices. In the late 1970s minicomputer technology gave
way to personal computers and relatively low cost computers
were becoming mass market commodities, allowing businesses
to provide their employees access to computing power that ten years before
would have cost tens of thousands of dollars. This proliferation of computers
created a ready market for interconnecting networks
and the popularization of the Internet.
As technological complexity increased and
costs decreased, the need to share information within an enterprise also grew—giving rise to the third
(client/server) era, in which computers on a common network access
shared information on a server. This lets thousands and even millions of people
access data simultaneously. The fourth
(enterprise) era enabled by high speed networks, tied all aspects of the business
enterprise together offering rich information access encompassing the complete
management structure.
The fifth and latest (cloud computing) era of
information systems employs networking technology to deliver
applications as well as data storage independent of the configuration, location
or nature of the hardware. This, along with high speed cellphone and wjfi
networks, led to new levels of mobility in which managers access the MIS remotely
with laptops, tablet PC's, and smartphones.
TERMINOLOGY
The
terms MIS, Information system, ERP and, information technology
management are often confused. Information
systems and MIS are broader categories that include ERP. Information
technology management concerns
the operation and organization of information technology resources independent of their purpose.