The rapid evolution of the communication technology started with the diffusion of information between connected computers to the present system in which voice, video, etc. are being exchange between systems. Driven by the global educational challenge in the twenty-first century, the Nigerian University Commission had stated that Nigerian university system will now go paperless as it has launched a portal called NUSMAP. The major set-back to the realization of the objectives of NUSMAP is that most Nigerian universities still handle their information system manually by using paper as a delivery vehicle. Some use the single management system. Other universities employ the LAN management model, where each department and/or unit has its own established management information system on the LAN. Very few universities use a campus network where departments/units can share information. In view of the above, the researchers propose a campus network that will be a modelled management information system for information diffusion and management in Nigerian universities.
TopIntroduction
Nowadays, educational institutions create and use enormous quantities of information as compared to the past. Information has become a treasured asset to educational institutions especially universities. Information backs day-to-day tasks, decision making and virtually any function in the university. Universities spend huge amount in Information Systems as they have proven to deliver information needed to make decisions, control operations, analyse problems, and create new products or services via its three activities of input, processing, and output. The input activity of the information system collects raw data from within the university or from its external environment; while processing converts this raw input into a meaningful form and the output activity transfers the administered information to the people who will use it or to other accomplishments for which it will be used.
An information system in a university can technically be defined as a set of interconnected components that collect, process, store, and diffuse information to support decision making, planning and control in a university. In addition to backing decision making, management, and control, information systems may also support university administrators/supervisors/monitors and other staff of the institutions analyse problems, create new products and envisage composite issues. Information systems comprise information about students, staff, departments, faculty, accommodation, etc. and other things within the university or in the surrounding environment.
Management Information Systems (MIS) literally is the combination of management and information system is defined by Daoleng, Oyerinde and Vem, (2014) “as computer systems in an organisation that provide information to support managers to make decisions in a functional area of an organization”. Hence, in the university setting, Management Information System can be defined as a set of interrelated systems in a university that provide information to support university administrators/monitors (NUC as in Nigeria) to make decision in the university. The position of management information systems is revealed through its influence on improved information flow from top down management levels and vice versa, and direct transfer of information to the operational level employees at an effective cost (Stamatovic and Kurij, 2003),
The field of management information systems (MIS) tries to achieve this broader information systems literacy which Laudon and Laudon, (2014) referred to as information which includes an understanding of the management and organizational dimensions of systems as well as the technical magnitudes of systems. Computer literacy on the other hand, focuses principally on understanding of information technology. MIS deals with behavioural issues as well as technical issues surrounding the development, use, and impact of information systems used by managers and employees in the university (Laudon and Laudon, 2014).
The technological evolution in the world today has created a global world in which national borders, distances and time zones are no longer an excuse. Networking has become an important aspect in the current globalization of the internet which contributed immensely to the development of networks. Researchers in the field of networking are developing new products and services designed to take advantage of the network capabilities” (Cisco Networking Academy, 2010), and internet plays an important role in the success of their developments.
The rapid evolution of the communication technology which started with the diffusion of information between connected computers to the present system in which voice, video, etc. are being exchange between systems. These changes instigated challenges for the development of various communication techniques for direct diffusion of information (voice, texts, Instant messages, video, etc.) directly between many systems and societies. “The immediate nature of communication over the internet encourages the formation of global communication.” (Cisco Networking Academy, 2010).