, which is entering the invoices. These clerks may be effective (the invoices might be entered correctly), but they are not efficiently using their time and resources.
3. Planning is the process of deciding what is going to be done prior to beginning to do it. The planning process includes defining the problem, establishing the goals that the plan is designed to address, developing the strategies required to accomplish the plan, and developing the implementation method for the plan. This is then compared to the available resources and the current environment of the organization, and modifications are made as necessary in order to refine the plan. Once the plan has been completed, it is communicated to all of the individuals involved with the plan. The best plans are re-evaluated and modified as necessary based on the changing organizational environments.
There are also several types of plans, including strategic planning (the organization's missions and goals), tactical planning (the way in which the strategic plan will be accomplished) and operational planning (which covers day-to-day issues). Examples of tactical planning include production scheduling and project planning, while examples of tactical planning includes budgets and procedures.
4. There is no one answer to the issue of whether IS should be a centralized or decentralized function. Centralized IS permits top management to be responsible for the decision making process, and brings centralization of operations to headquarters. Decentralization offers the advantage of delegating the decision making process while still giving top management access to necessary information. The culture of the organization, including how much control top management wants to exert over the operations of the company and whether the company is geographically dispersed or not, may well be the overriding factors in
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