The types of the database models generally used in the business organizations can be categorized as follows –

1. Hierarchical Data Base Model (HDBM)

a. Is one of the earliest data base management systems.
b. This model has data logically as one to many relationship.
c. Follows a structured organizational mode.
d. Requires a controlled, finite and a rule based approach.
e. Represents data in a pyramidal or a tree like structure.
f. Each record appears to be like an organizational chart with one top level segment, called the root, spreading downwards into the branches and the leaves.
g. There is a record.
h. Within each record, the data elements are organized into the pieces of record which are referred to as the segments.
i. An upper segment is linked to a lower segment in a parent child relationship.
j. A parent segment may have more than one child.
k. A child can have only one parent.
l. The most common hierarchical data base management system has been the Information Management System (IMS) released by the IBM in the year 1968.

2. Network Data Base Model (NDBM)

a. Acts as the variation of the above Hierarchical Data Base Model.
b. This model has data logically as many–to– many relationship.
c. Helps in understanding and also helps in analyzing the sales Zone performance.
d. Analysis the sales and the recovery position.
e. Analysis the product wise sales performance.

3. Relational Database Model (RDBM)

a. Most recent of the three database models.
b. Was proposed by Dr. E.F Cod in the year 1970.
c. Consists of the data in the database as simple two dimensional tables called as the relations.
d. The table consists of the rows and also the columns.
e. Rows represent the individual records.
f. The columns represent the attributes of each of the record.
g. The information in more than one file can be easily extracted.
h. This information can be further combined to suit the user’s specific requirements.
i. The three basic operations of this model are Select, Project, Join.

Introduction
In the Management Information Systems, the concept of the ‘Systems’ play a very essential and a defining role and it can be surely referred to as the backbone of the management Information Systems. The major concept of the systems involves basically the pattern or a way in which one thinks about managing optimally. In management Information Systems, it acts as the framework for the visualization and the analysation of the internal as well as the external environments and the factors affect these particular environments in a very integrated way or pattern.

The word systems refer to as the arrangement or the way of organizing some specific things in a particular way. So now a system can be defined as the regularly interacting interdependent group of the items ultimately leading to the formation of a united whole. Particularly for the management Information Systems, a system consists of certain specific set of elements that can be identified as the belonging together because of the common purpose, goal or the objective.

The features defining the system usually act as its boundaries, so it can be said that the system is inside the boundary and the environment is outside the boundary.

Each system is further made of the sub systems, which further consist of the other subsystems and one very important point to be kept in mind here is that all of these subsystems are defined specifically by its boundaries. Each subsystem itself actually acts as the system. The Interconnections and the various interactions that generally take place between the various subsystems are referred to as the interfaces.

These interfaces are generally known to occur at the boundary and usually take the form of the inputs and the outputs. A system is not at all arranged randomly but is arranged with the help of certain logic, which are governed by the rules, the regulations, the principles, the policies etc. Such an arrangement of a system is generally influenced by the objective which the system always desires to achieve.

In the management Information Systems, the concept of the system is very much important and one should have an in depth knowledge of it as with the help of this, one can easily have a look at the individual elements, subsystems in the larger perspective of the whole system leading to the optimal solutions and the synergy.

There are different types of the system and are generally found to be present in all the fields of the endeavor. There are systems like the social system, political system, economic system etc.
All the Systems must possess the following –
1. Goals
2. Components
3. Subsystems
4. Behavior
5. Boundaries
6. Life cycle

What are the Characteristics of the System
A System must be having or possessing the following characteristics –
1. System receives inputs with the help of the information, energy or the materials.
2. System processes inputs and also produces outputs or the results.
3. System has a particular structure.
4. System is very much interdependent in the nature.
5. System has an objective orientation.

Types of the System in the Management Information Systems
1. Conceptual Systems

a. Are theoretical and explanatory in the nature.
b. Provide the much needed clarification.
c. Provide theoretical framework for which there may or may not be any real life counterpart.
d. E.g. of such systems can be philosophy, theology etc.

2. Empirical Systems

a. Are very practical, specific and also very operational in the nature.
b. Can be based on the conceptual system.
c. Examination system, surgery act as very good examples of the empirical systems.

3. Open Systems

a. Involve continuous interaction with the environment.
b. So exchanges the information, material, energy with the environment.
c. Is open and also self organizing in the nature.
d. Is also adoptive or adaptive to the changing environment as it is flexible.

4. Closed Systems

a. Shuns any kind of the exchange with the environment.
b. Is rigid in nature.
c. Is not at all amenable to the change.
d. Is also self contained.
e. Is somewhat isolated in the nature.
f. Is having a well defined boundary.
g. Is not at all adaptive in the nature.

5. Natural Systems

a. Such Systems exist and also abound in the nature.
b. Are also not at all the results of the human endeavors.
c. Rivers, mountains, minerals etc. are the major examples of the natural Systems.

6. Artificial Systems

a. Are manufactured (man made).
b. Examples of such Systems are dams, canals, roads, machines, factories etc.

7. Probabilistic Systems

a. Based on the predictability of the behavior or the outcome.

8. Deterministic Systems

a. In such Systems, the interaction of the elements is known.
b. As the behavior of the elements is pre determined, it becomes possible to work upon the reaction well in the advance.

For making people act, different types of the methods like the planning, the organizing, the staffing, the leading etc. are used. But after the people start acting, generally the result that is obtained seems to be a mere waste. Now here, the role of the management of the organization is very critical and should be performed very carefully. The main responsibility of the management here is that it should take proper care of the fact that the results that are produced are strictly according to the objectives and none of them is a waste or use – less in the nature. This responsibility of the management of the organization is often referred to as the ‘Controlling’.

The Controlling acts as a very useful managerial function or the tool as it ensures that the actions conform to the expected results with the help of the suitable feedback systems. This process also includes correcting any deviation time in order to see that the results are ensured within the proper time and the costs as per the planned standards. One very important point that should be kept in mind is that for having the control, it is very necessary to plan the things i.e. without the planning, the control cannot be obtained. The major reason behind this is that if we will not know about the things that are to be achieved, the resources that are available, the various things that are to be taken care of etc., then it will not be possible to carry on with the process in a controlled manner.

So now it can be said that the planning is very much needed both at the personal level as well as at the organization level as it acts as a mental discipline and plays a very major role in the process of the controlling. But one very important thing that should be taken care of is that the planning that is done for controlling the process should be done very carefully and should not be vague in the nature i.e. should be very meaningful so that it can help in the establishment of the controlling standards.

Principles of the Controlling are :-
1. Goals

a. The establishment of the measurable goals acts as a prerequisite to the controlling.
b. For the implementation of the program, it is very necessary to have a conceptual document and this document is referred to as the planning.
c. From here, the process of the planning goes through the conceptual to the measurable objectives.
d. At times these can also be qualitative in the nature and in such cases it becomes very necessary to convert these into the measurable terms.

2. Establishment of the standards

a. The measurable goals that are created have to be converted into the standards.
b. In case of the measurable goals, the measure of weighing the results is fixed.
c. But in case of the standard, one expects for a minimum performance depending on the given efforts and the time.
d. During this step, the measures of the efforts, the time, and the cost are fixed in the nature.
e. The performance can be judged by setting the minimum standards.

3. Nature of the controls

a. The controls must be economical in the nature not only in the implementation but also in correcting the deviation by getting a signal on time.
b. The control costs in terms of the implementation.
c. The evaluation of the control in a tangible as well as the intangible form, depends greatly on the judgment of the management.

4. Selection criteria of the critical points

a. It is very necessary to keep the costs of the control down, so hence it is not at all possible to have a control over each stage in the process.
b. For this purpose, it is very important to select certain control points.
c. The selection largely depends on the individual testing skills, group output, its criticality to the operation in the total activity etc.
d. The raw materials that cannot be reworked and returned must be selected as the critical point for the control.
e. The selected critical points can be changed on a rotational basis and also by changing after the feedback that is obtained from the results of the process.

5. Feed back system

a. The feedback should be very efficient and meaningful in the nature.
b. It is very essential that the control points are very well supported by the control systems as these points at any stage can be feed forward as well as backward.
c. With the help of the Feedback system, one can make a decision over the fact that whether the cost of the continuity in the operations in the similar manner would be good in the customer’s interest or not.
d. This system helps in the determination of the fact that whether any type of the rework or correction is required or not.

6. Discipline and Flexibility

a. Both the Discipline and the Flexibility are very much required in the process of the controlling and for this, the presence of the control system is very essential.
b. Discipline can be achieved, if it is assured that the same process will be carried on during the existence.
c. In case of any type of the changes or the deviations in the design of the product etc, then it is not at all possible to continue with the same set of the control points.
d. Discipline can be maintained only if the various activities involved remain totally unchanged.
e. But sometimes such circumstances, like the results that are obtained at a particular point do not meet the requirements expected of such a control, arise and then it becomes very necessary for the control system to possess the flexibility.
f. One very important point to be kept in mind here is that the changes that are brought in the control systems should be brought in, depending on the demands of the business.
g. As the environment present around the organization and that present within the organization keep on changing continuously, so it is very important that the control systems possess the flexibility.

7. Development of the controls

a. The controls should be tailored in such a way that the whole organization should be able to read the feedback reports.
b. The results of the control should be communicable and also actionable in the nature.
c. Any type of the difference in the output should be brought out by the various controls as with this, the deviations can be easily pointed out without doing much work.

8. Corrections

a. With the help of the controls, one can find out the deviations in the planned performance.
b. If the control is ideally placed, its organization and the management can act in the self interest of the business.
c. It is very necessary to direct the controls towards the corrections and then suitable corrective actions should be taken.