THE MIS Activity
In brief, the activity consists of the following interrelated components:
- sample selection
- initial recording, covering weighing, grading, sexing, aging, numbering, and logging location of origin; also yardage and number sold for the market-day in question
- secondary recording, covering pricing and the logging of buyer ID
- data input to the computer system
- data processing within the computer system
- information reporting from the computer system, presentation, and dissemination
All these areas of activity were examined, and substantial room for improvement was found in all the areas.
Each of the above 6 areas is covered in the following sections, detailing present practices, and including for most of the 6 detailed recommendations for improvement. I do not present them in activity sequence, choosing to cover information presentation and dissemination first, since that is the Final Product or Service of the MIS activity; any recommendation to modify this Product or Service may impact back on the other production activities.