What is the difference between information systems, information management, and management information systems? Which ones are tech based?(such as business using computers) are they the same?
My major is supply chain management and I heard and wanted to pair it with information systems. However my school only offers information management. Also, when I google for information systems and my school, information management comes up?
Thanks
The two terms are interchangeable. Your school may use the term “information management” to separate it more clearly from “Computer and Information Sciences”(CIS).
There is no standard definition, so each university/college has it’s own spin on IM/IS. In most cases, it’s “business” related and deals with utilizing Info systems in business.
It’s often paired with supply chain management, as using info systems, data bases, etc., is usually pertinent to supply chain management.
Ah, nomenclature. Such as how my son was a software developer for one company and a software engineer for the next. Which is different than your field regardless of which of the two you use.
Ok so in simple terms it’s the same thing right? Haha I get it thanks. Is this the same for supply chain management and logistics?
They are more interchangeable now but years ago Information Systems was usually paired with Library Science and Management Information Systems was usually taught in a Business School. Now many University are creating new colleges combining CS with IS. You’ll hear Infomatics often now. IS schools often teach Software Development, Business Process Reengineering, Data Architecture, etc with some cursory programming.
What’s in a name? When I was just a few years in, some 40 years ago, I was hired by a company and given the title “Computer Scientist.” This was before CS was a field of study that many people were familiar with. I was kidded by co-workers asking me where my white lab coat was, to the point that I wished they had a different title for me.
@Gator88NE, love your avatar, I was rooting for them!
Way back when, Information Systems and Information Management used to deal more with using and managing computers, while CS deal with programming computers These days, IS and IM can mean almost anything.
MIS/IS tends to be regarded with skepticism by many hardcore tech firms and departments because depending on the school/department, the level of technical proficiency imparted to its graduates through their respective curricula ranges from being nearly as tech-heavy as an actual CS major(Good) to being little more than business management with computers on the side(Bad).
Here is RIT’s definition, which I believe is thorough: https://www.rit.edu/programs/management-information-systems-bs
I’d say the RIT definition of Management Information Systems is close to the traditional definition. But these days schools are throwing anything computer-related that isn’t pure CS into the MIS/IT/IS/IM bucket. I’ve seen everything from web programming to UI/UX design to cybersecurity being administered by MIS/IT/IS/IM departments.
I agree with the above poster and anything with Information Systems or management in the title will likely be out of the business department and have less emphasis on the super technical stuff and more on project management. You can always tell by where the program falls. Together with the school of business and it will likely be less technical. If it’s with Math or engineering it will likely be Computer Science and the classes will be very different.