What is Information System (IS)

An information system (IS) is “a set of people, procedures, and resources that collects, transforms, and disseminates information in an organization. A system that accepts data resources as input and processes them into information products as output” (O’Brien & Marakas, 2005). Likewise, the definition of human resource information Systems (henceforth HRIS) can be expressed as an IS that deals only with information related directly to the human resource management (HRM) area (Tannenbaum, 1990). Initially, computerized HRIS were only useful for administrative purposes. However, in the course of the last decade, that tendency has changed markedly and a strategic re-orientation of these applications is nowadays considered desirable and necessary for companies competing in today’s uncertain, complex and ever-developing environment. This phenomenon has turned HRIS into a major strategic means, capable of providing information about the actual capacity of the firm, its potential, and the potential of its competitors. This research paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of HRIS usage as a tool for assisting in recruitment decisions. This was carried out in accordance with the empirical findings of a quantitative research on selection and recruitment processes in Spanish firms. This paper reports and evaluates the major results of this current study and discusses its theoretical and practical implications with a view to increasing the effectiveness of HRIS usage for its recruitment processes.