The Effects of Using Management Information Systems (MIS) on Organizational Structure of the Municipalities in the Province of Khuzestan, Iran

Abstract

Running organizations in an efficient way especially in today’s complicated world needs gathering and processing a huge amount of information which is growing rapidly. The quality and quantity of the information required by managers for making decisions depend on different factors, but information features and the way they are processed are fundamental factors for making decision in this process. The aim of this research is to study the effects of management information systems (MIS) on the organizational structure. The statistical population in this research includes about 500 senior and junior executives of municipalities of Khuzestan province (Andimeshk, Ahvaz, Masjed Soleyman, Andika and Shooshtar), Iran. However, a sample of 225 managers was selected using Cochran formula and stratified cluster sampling method. To test the hypotheses of the research, structural equation modeling, correlation, and regression were used; Friedman test was also used for rank-ordering the measures. The results showed that management information systems were effective on complexity and formality variables, but the effects of management information systems on centralization were not confirmed. Therefore, systematizing management information systems in the organizations and centralization of decision-making at all management levels lead to reduction in the level of centralization in organizations, increase in horizontal complexity, and reduction in organizational hierarchy.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6p477