Management Information Systems Use in Higher Education Environments

Although South African higher education institutions continue to invest heavily in IT and information systems; much of this systems are underutilised. The research aims to investigate the utilization of the management information systems (MIS). MIS in higher education have been adopted to input and output relevant information as well as to manage an institutional decision making effectively. That is, the management information systems provide information that is important to making business decisions for the institution. To help understand the utilization of the MISs, the Unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and the contingency theory are used as lenses to support the study. Users’, fit, system, management and organisational characteristics are some of the constructs informing the research model. The use of MIS will be understood through interviews and closed ended questionnaires that will be distributed to users in higher education institutions in South Africa, particularly within the Gauteng province. . The findings from the study will inform a conceptual model for the use of MIS in higher education environment. The paper envisages that the conceptual model will be of significant value.