American Journal of Business and Management

Vol. 1, No. 1, 2012, 12-17

Management Information System as a Catalyst to Organisational Performance in the 21st

Century: A Study of Selected Banks in Nigeria
Obasan Kehinde A1* and Soyebo Yusuf. A2
1

Department of Business Administration, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria
2
Department of Accounting and Finance, Lagos State University, Ojo, Nigeria

Business managers view the implementation of Information Technology (IT) as a tactic to combat competition by
improving productivity, profitability and the level of information, irrespective of forms of ownership. Information
enables the conceptualization and creation of new products and services by guiding decision makers in reaching a
valid conclusion and making an informed decision regarding every area of their responsibility. Using a structured
questionnaire administered to sixty selected staffs of the three selected Banks in Nigeria and analyzing the
obtained data with the descriptive and regression method of statistical analysis, this study examines the role of
management information system (MIS) as a catalyst to organisational performance in the 21st century. The result
obtained indicated that MIS is very important in an organisation because no organisation can survive, expand and
attain meaningful development without information. Hence, the importance of MIS cannot be over emphasized
especially in the Banking sector in the 21st Century. Thus it is recommended that such information system needs
to be strategically managed so as to bring about sound and profitable organisation and thereby increase
organisational chance of surviving amidst daunting challenges.
Keyword: management information system (MIS); organization; technology; performance

Introduction
Organisations view the effective adoption of
Information Technology (IT) as a way to combat
competition by improving productivity, profitability,
and the level of information which is one common
asset shared by all business regardless of their nature
because it is a vital part of any business entity
irrespective of their forms of ownership as it enables
conceptualization and creation of new products and
services.
Information guide decision makers in reaching a
valid conclusion and making an informed decision
regarding every area of their responsibility. Without
adequate information, resources will not be located
and converted into desirable finished goods aimed at
a specific target market for profit. Since no business
entity can survive or remain relevant without
effective information, business data must be
systematically captured, analyzed, quantified,
compiled, shared and made accessible in order to
enjoy the maximum value of information. Hence, an
Information System is designed, developed,
administered and maintained to accomplish those
tasks.

*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

When properly collected, organized, and indexed in

accordance with the requirements of the organisation,
its stored data becomes accessible to those who need
the information. A critical feature of any information
system should be the ability to not only access and
retrieve data, but also to keep the archived
information as current as possible (Moga, 2007). The
information system is the mechanism to ensure that
information is available to the managers in the form
they want it and when they need it. It is designed to
support their work through providing relevant
information for their decision making.
Innovations are adopted by organizations in
order to improve the level of services delivered to
various users and with the broad aim of increase their
profitability and market share. Knowledge on the
processes of innovation adoption and the
characteristics of innovative organizations is evolving
in various sectors of industries (Boyne et al. 2005;
Rashman & Radnor 2005; Walker 2008).
Literature on whether adopted innovations such
MIS are actually able to deliver positive outcomes is,
by contrast, in its infancy. Findings from qualitative
and quantitative studies in the emerging literature are
not unanimous often suggest a positive relationship
(Walker & Damanpour 2008). However, similar to
the studies of business organizations where the focus
has been on performance consequences of product
2012 World Scholars

13

O. Kehinde and S. Yusuf

innovations, the emphasis in Banks has been on the

influence of facility innovations on performance.
The evolution of computer-based Information System
and the rapid advancement of IT have created a more
sophisticated and competitive business environment.
In fact, IT has changed the way companies compete,
as it moves from strictly supporting role at the back
of office to take a new vintage position.
Developments in computer technology made possible
for managers to select the information they require, in
the form best suited for their needs and in time they
want. This information must be current and in many
cases is needed by man people at the same time. So
it has to be accurate, concise, timely, complete, well
presented and storable.
Most firms nowadays depend on IT. But
personal computers (PCs) themselves will not
improve organisational productivity this only comes
about if they are used efficiently and effectively.
Computer systems can clearly aid organisations in the
processing data into accurate, well presented, up-todate and cost effective information While the
conciseness, relevancy, timeliness and completeness
of supplied information will largely on the
capabilities of the people involved in its processing
and selection Harizonova, (2003).
In recent time, a surge in the number of studies
that examine the MIS adoption is a proof to this
challenge (Bharadwaj et al. 1999, Devaraj & Kohli
2000, Sohal Moss & Ng 2001). In doing so, the MIS
adoption literature has examined the relationship
between investments in MIS and their effect on
organisational performance. However, due to the
nature of the research designs employed, this stream
of research has not definitively attributed the effects
of usage and impact of individual technologies on
organisational performance since most companies to
have difficulty surviving for long. De Gevs (1997)
observed that the international average life
expectancy of a company of any size 12.5 years.
However, most decisions about IT are critically
important to the prosperity and survival of a firm. A
successful organisation must be able to adapt and
learn fast as creative activity increase their survival
against all odds, especially in rapidly changing
environment of the 21st century. Also, an associated
stream of research examines the issue of technology
usage in the context of technology acceptance (Lucas
& Spitler 1999). The comparability of self-reported
usage and objective or actual usage remains a
controversial point in information systems research
(Venkatesh & Davis 2000). Self-reported usage
might induce biases due to having the same
respondents answer similar questions on their
perceptions of the IT and its effectiveness. Further,
there is evidence suggesting that actual usage and

perceived usage may not be congruent. Because most

studies to date have been in laboratory settings with
student subjects, there is merit to examining an
independently monitored and objective measure of
technology usage. This study extends this line of
research by examining the technology usage issue in
the field setting of a bank network. Thus, this study
investigates how Management Information System
(MIS) serves as a catalyst to organisational survival
in the 21st century.
Literature Review
The global business environment is becoming more
complex at an increasing rate while greed and
globalization were the two major concepts used to
describe the situation, other major forces for changes
include
technological
developments,
new
employment patterns and organisations structures, the
growing importance of environmental issues and the
death of deference among employees, customers and
communities. There is also an increasing need for
companies to gain and maintain the confidence of the
general public in their business conduct. All this
saddle manager with the task of surfacing a tool for
the extraction of timely and required information
from the target audience in order to effect an accurate
and productive decision; Hence, the birth of MIS.
Oladejo (2007) described MIS as a system using
formalized procedures based on data from both
internal and external sources, to enable decision
makers make timely and effective decisions, for
planning, directing and carrying out the activities for
which they have appointed. This connotes that MIS
is a system responsible for the collection, processing
and communication of defined data in order to
enhance prompt decision making. Viewing MIS as
data processing or a computer based system would
amount to a production oriented view of MIS which
places more emphasis on production but generation
of information from data processing and the
management involvement makes the system
distinctly different from data processing.
Presently, computer and information systems
play several vital roles in the smooth running and
implementation of various organisational activities
such as the formulation of a business plan,
formulation and selection of business operating
protocols and securities, design of data bank etc.
This new development saddle Computer and
Information System Managers with the task of
planning, coordinating and directing research and
facilitate the computer-related activities of firms.
They help determine both technical and business
goals in consultation with top management and make

American Journal of Business and Management

detailed plans for the accomplishment of these goals.

All this requires a strong understanding of both
technology and business practices (McLeod, 1995).
Scholars all over the world have resorted to internet
as personal library where all necessary information
can be obtained and displayed while computers have
significantly altered business management (Bee,
1999). The MIS is presently the organisation nervous
systems which respond to opportunities and avoid
threats. It is widely acknowledged that firms with the
best and most effective Information Systems are
those that have clear and well thought of information
strategy (Harizanova, 2003). Only few empirical
studies has focused on the innovation-performance
hypothesis (Damanpour, Walker, & Avellaneda
2009; Salge & Vera 2009).
Whereas extant work does not examine
performance consequences of MIs in particular, it
provides evidence to support the notion that
innovation may unfold and influence organizational
performance in different waysfindings that
corroborate Walkers (2004) quantitative review of
studies across public and private sectors that
innovation influences performance positively. The
balance of evidence suggests that although
innovation is risky and its success is not guaranteed,
its adoption enhances performance. It confirms views
espoused by contingency and resource dependence
theories that organizations are adaptive systems that
introduce change in order to function effectively
(Pfeffer & Salancik 2003). MIS can play a central
role in the process of changing organizations,
facilitating organizational adaptation to the external
environment and increasing the efficiency and
effectiveness of internal processes. Argument from
institutional theory has alternatively suggested that
MIS may have indirect performance impacts because
factors driving adoption are initially focused upon
securing internal and external legitimacy (Staw &
Epstein 2000).
Although large sample empirical studies of the
relationship between MIS and organizational
performance are scarce, evidence from case studies
repeatedly points toward the positive effects of the
adoption of MIS (Birkinshaw & Mol 2006; Hamel
2006). For instance, Hamel (2006) cites cases from
the private sector in the early 1900s such as Mary
Parker Folletts experiences of building and running
community- based organizations in Boston to more
modern-day MIS in non profit ventures such as
Bangladeshs Grameen Bank.
The contemporary trend in the Nigeria Banking
System requires Banks of different sizes to deliver
their services using different technologies. Large
banks may have comparative advantages in lending
technologies such as credit scoring that are based on

14

hard quantitative data. Small banks, in contrast,

may have comparative advantages in lending
technologies such as relationship lending that are
based on soft information that is difficult to
quantify and transmit through the communication
channels of large banking organisations Stein (2002)
and may create agency problems that require a
closely-held organisational structure Berger and
Udell (2002).
Luftman, et al (1993) emphasized that for
companies to succeed in an increasingly competitive,
information-intense, dynamic environment, then the
alignment of business strategy and IT strategy was a
necessity.
Furthermore, Chan et al. (1997) provided
empirical support for a positive relationship between
business performance and the alignment of business
strategy and IT strategy. The above studies were
conducted in the context of large organisations. This
study hypothesized a similar relationship between IT
alignment and performance for small firms. Thus the
studys major hypothesis was: Effective adoption of
MIS does not have any significant impact of on
organisational success and survival.
Methodology
This study focused on MIS, as a catalyst to
organisational survival in the 21st century using three
selected banks in Lagos. The Banks include
Intercontinental Bank Plc., UBA Plc., and First Bank
Plc. The aggregate of the three selected Banks staff is
Two hundred from different department in the
organisation while samples of Sixty (60) staff were
selected for this study using the simple random
sample technique applied among the various levels of
management and departments. Data were sourced
from both the primary and secondary source of data
collection with the administered of questionnaire and
review of existing literature on MIS and
organisational performance. The questionnaires were
divided into two Section A and B with the former
seeking personal data of respondents such as Sex,
Marital Status, Religion, etc., while the latter part
seek opinions of the respondent on the focus using a
five point Likert scale.
The data obtained were analyzed with the use of
both the descriptive statistical analysis and regression
method and t-test were employed to test the nature of
relationship between MIS and organisational
performance. The model of this is specified as:
Y=b0 + b1x1 +
Where; Y=Dependent variable (Organisational
Performance) X=Independent variable (Management
Information System)
b0=Autonomous level of

15

O. Kehinde and S. Yusuf

Organisational Performance b1=Rate of change in

Organisational Performance due to change in MIS
=standard error/random variable.

Results and Discussion

Result of analysis of the relationship between MIS
and organisation performance. Y = 1.259 + 0.703X1
+ 0.368

Table 1. MIS and organisational performance

Variables
MIS and organisational performance

N
60

d.f.
58

Sig. Level
0.05

Interpretation: From Table 2, OND/NCE/ALEVEL

is 3 (5%) HND/B.Sc./B.Ed. holders are 21 (35%),

r2
0.496

r
0.703

Tcal
4.195

Ttab
1.74

Fcal
17.60

Ftab
4.42

M.Sc./M.Ed. holders are 24 (40%) while the

remaining 12 (20%) have professional qualification.

Table 2. Educational qualification distribution

Educational qualification

Frequency

Cumulative %

Mean

OND/NCE/ALEVEL
HND/B.Sc./B.Ed.
M.Sc./M.Ed.
Professional qualification
Total

3
21
24
12
60

5
35
40
20
100

5
40
80
100

2.75

Interpretation: From table 3, 15 (25%) of the

respondents have had below 2 years of experience
with the bank, 21 (35%) had 3 5 years of

Standard Deviation

0.851

experience, 15 (25%) had 6 10 years of experience,

while the 9 (15%) had 11 15 years of experience
with the organisation.

Table 3. Year with organisation distribution

Year with organisation

Frequency

Cumulative %

Mean

Below 2 years
3 5 years
6 10 years
11 15 years
Total

15
21
15
9
60

25
35
25
15
100

25
60
85
100

2.30

Standard Deviation

1.031

Table 4. Summary of respondents reactions to various research statement

S/
N
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14

Statement
MIS is a major issue that affects my organisational survival.
MIS is imposing Security and control threat on my organisation.
Computer virus and many other fraudulent manipulations are threat
of exposure of confidential information confronting my organisation.
MIS has made service continuity a more appropriate term than
business continuity.
MIS has made decisions leading to the achievement of my
organisation objectives attainable.
With MIS accurate and well-presented information is available to
improve our productivity.
MIS enables planning, coordinating, organizing and controlling
functions of management.
MIS is the Life Blood of my organisation
From My Own Perspective, MIS is that least important
MIS has a profound contribution on our Operation
Strategic ability to deal with Crisis and Interruptions effectively is a
gain of MIS
MIS has made decisions leading to the achievement of my
organisation objectives attainable.
With MIS accurate, timely well-presented information is available to
improve our productivity.
MIS has assisted my Organisation understand the rule of its
Environment.

Responses
UD

S.A

S.D

39(65%)
3(5%)

15(25%)
42(70%)
18(30%)

6(10)
6(10%)
33(55%)

9(15%)
3(5%)

3(5%)
3(5%)

6(10%)

15(25%)

30(50%)

9(15%)

39(65%)

15(25%)

6(10%)

3(5%)

51(85%)

6(10%)

15(25%)

39(65%)

6(10%)

12(20%)
6(10%)
12(20%)
3(5%)

42(70%)
12(20%)
39(65%)
13(39%)

6(10%)
18(30%)
3(5%)
15(25%)

21(35%)
6(10%)
3(5%)

3(5%)
-

39(65%)

15(25%)

6(10%)

3(5%)

52(85%)

6(10%)

18(30%)

21(35%)

21(35%)

American Journal of Business and Management

From the data analysis 3(5%) of the total respondents

possess OND/NCE/ALEVEL qualification is while
21 (35%); 24 (40%) and 12 (20%) possess
HND/B.Sc./B.Ed; M.Sc./M.Ed; and professional
qualification respectively. The table 4 above showed
the summarized responses to the various questions
advanced to the respondents. The statistical meanings
of the statistical tool used in analyzing the model of
this research work were given in this sub-section.
The correlation coefficient (r) value of 0.703
indicates the existence of strong positive relationship
between MIS and Organisational Performance. The
co-efficient of Determination (r2) value of 0.496
explains the proportion of the total variations in
organisational performance that are attributed to
variations in management information system. The r2
often overstate the true value of explanations due to
the un-adjusted degrees of freedom and to eliminate
such, the adjusted r2 value of 0.446 shows the actual
variation in Organisational performance attributable
to Management Information System.
The t-test statistic indicates the individual
significance of the parameters used in the model.
Each value is compared with the table value (ttab at
5% = 1.743) and they all exert a significant in the
functioning of the model. The F-ratio value of
compared with table value of 3.01shows the overall
significance of the model as well as the goodness of
fit through its explanatory power. This shows that the
model is significant because the calculated F-ratio of
17.60 is greater than the table values of 4.42 at 5%
level of significance. To this end, the alternative
hypothesis was accepted and it was revealed that MIS
has significant effect on Organisational performance
in Nigerian Banking industry.
Conclusion and Implication of Study
This study examined the effects of MIS on
organizational performance using descriptive and
inferential statistical analytic techniques. The
analysis above showed that Management Information
System is very important in an organisation because
no organisation can survive without information.
Hence, the importance of Management Information
System cannot be over emphasized especially in the
Banking sector in the 21st Century the world over.
Thus such information system needs to be
strategically managed so as to bring about sound and
profitable organisation and thereby increase
organisational chance of surviving. In the same vein,
there is a need for organisations to procure quality
gadgets and tools that will enhance effectiveness,
efficiency and customers retention. This ensures
quality service delivery and productivity which is

16

essential for any future- oriented organisation while

the primary goals for the effective adoption of MIS
are not truncated.
This study reveals that MIS have a direct
positive
relationship
with
organizational
performance. Although the poise of evidence on the
direct effect of innovation on performance is
weighted toward positive findings, previous research
has not examined the possible mediating effects of
other variables. Therefore, this studys revealed that
there is a need for more extensive inquiry on the
innovation-performance relationship designed for
facilitating organizational attributes and processes.
Certainly, there are some evidence in previous
research that raises the possibility of pro-innovation
bias such as Rogers (1995) such patterns of
adoption, pasts and consequences of different types
of organisational change are not necessarily the same.
Similarly, majority of knowledge management
adoption comes from the private sector. Other studies
(Moore and Hartley 2008; Walker 2008) are making
progress in interpreting evidence on innovation types
in various organizations. Hence, this study showed
that the adoption of MIS in an effective and purpose
driven scale will increase the chance of attaining set
organisational goals.
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