Why are the information system needs for higher management different from the information system needs of the operational team? Explain with examples.
Answer
The information system needs for higher management is different from operational level because there is a marked difference between the functions, perspectives, responsibilities, scopes and roles of the operational team and higher management.
While operational team is concerned with their specific, well-defined, structural operational responsibilities, the management team has to deal mostly with the unstructured, strategic and often unplanned & unforeseen situations. They have to take decisions and solve problems that might be entirely new whereas the operational team has to rarely face such issues.
Hence, the information system needs of the management team are more strategic, less structured and less predictable whereas the needs of operational team are more routine, more predictable and more structured. Hence, the system functions, facilities, outputs etc have to be different for managerial and operational teams.