CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1            BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The complexity and diversity of most modern day business and companies account for their varied and often technical and administratively complex activities while the structure of most modern organization reflect on management charge with different responsibility with a view to ensuring the attainment of the enterprise corporate objective.

George (2004) defines management information system as a system or related group of system which collects and present management information relating to a business in other to facilitate it control. It applies to a system which makes use as a data based facility for the storage and retrieval of information. A management information system embraces data processing system, and decision making based on the fact that is communicate by the control system. A highly organized data processing system, is essential for connecting, recording and converting data into machine sensible form (in some instance prior) to process the data. These systems often produce information of management as by product of processing data rather than as a primary product in its own right.

The first power station in Nigeria was built in Lagos in 1989 at the present site of the NEPA headquarters. For the power appreciation of history of the organization called PHCN we need to mention ECN and NDA as the early power distribution and generation agencies (electricity corporation of Nigeria) and (Nigeria Dam Authority) respectively in September, 1969 the Federal military government decided to manage ECN and NDA into a single body to avoid duplication of resources in the two organization. A year later, many zonal or district office. The zones are mandated to supervise and effects the distribution of electricity to customers and also to effect mattering, cash collection and implementation of all policies of the head quarters, it is the headquarters of Kaduna zone of the national electric power authority now know as PHCN, the region of the transmission is also having the sub-station for supplying Kaduna, Minna, Zaria, further Sokoto and Kano. The zone also lost outside Kaduna, the Zaria district and Minna district, its also host Shiroro Hydro power station, in Minna. However, the PHCN zonal office Kaduna, operates under the electricity power sector reform bill which was sign back into law on the 11th of March, 2005 by president Olusegun Obasanjo. This bill seeks to provide a formation of companies to take over the in function, assets liabilities and staff of the national electricity power authority (NEPA). Develop competitive electricity markets, establish the Nigeria electricity regulating commission, provide for the licensing and regulation of the generation transmission, distribution and supply of electricity, enforce such mates as performance standard, consumers’ right and obligations provide for the determinations of tariffs and to provide for mater concerned with or incidental to the foregoing.

1.2            STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

One of the problems facing the role of management information system in achieving its corporate objectives is that, management information has not received high priority at his best. It usually represents loose amalgamation of data and report without any overall consistent pattern.  

Enviably such information is generated only to fulfill basic account and possible legal requirement and thus dose to support management decision making activities. Inability of workers to use and handle computer effectively, difficulty of workers to implement new initiatives, lack of maintenance culture and outdated system, inadequate induction for training, lack of communication  and proper communication tools.

1.3            OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The primary objective of the study is to look at the role of management information system in achieving corporate financial goal in Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Kaduna business office. Other specific objectives includes:-

-      To evaluate the effect of management information system in achieving corporate financial goal in (PHCN)

-      To study the problems affecting management information system in Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Kaduna Business office.

-      To find out how efficiently and effectively management information system is in power holding company of Nigeria (PHCN) Kaduna

1.4            SIGNIFICANT OF THE STUDY

This study shall be benefit to the management and employee of power holding company of Nigeria, Kaduna business office on management information system in achieving it corporate objectives, in the organisation. It shall also be beneficial to others students, academicians that may wish to undergo further research on this or similar topic on how to safeguard vital information, to support better management decision making, improving efficiency and productivity, less operating cost, management information system is what people need to resource on because of its benefit.

1.5    RESEARCH QUESTION

The primary research questions are to examine the effect of management information system in achieving its corporate objectives in power holding company of Nigeria Kaduna business office.

-      What are the effects of management information system in achieving its corporate financial goal in power holding company Kaduna?

-      What are the problems affecting management information system in power holding company of Nigeria Kaduna business office?

-      How efficient and effective is management information system in achieving its corporate financial goal in power holding company Kaduna business office?

1.6            SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study is based on the role of management information system, its focus on computer based while management decision making is discussed it relates to obtain information for making corporate decision. The researcher limit the study to (PHCN) Kaduna the study covers a time from 2008 to 2012.

1.7            LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Time constraint: Lack of time has been an obstacle to the easy completion of this research work. Inability to get better literature from the school library is also another constrain of this research work. Some vital material needed for the research work and not available. However, various sources will be used to make sure that all necessary materials are obtained.

Financial constraints: This is also a limitation to the actualization of the research work. This is due to the current economic trend. However, money will be sourced to carry out the study.

1.8            DEFINITION OF TERMS

The terms defined in this section are major terms used or that came into focus in this work the list is not exhaustive other main terms will be define as they occur in other chapters.

Management: getting thing done by people

System: Activities of working together towards achievement objectives

Management information system: Related group of system which embraces data processing and decision making base on the fact

Output: These are devices that allow the computing system to output result of processing.

Data base: An organized set of information that is stored in a computer system

Input: material with raw fact that go into system for processing for a meaningful information

Report: Information that is generated from a system.