Business Information Systems

Business Information Systems integrate people, processes and technologies to collect, process and distribute data in support of organisational decision-making and operations. At their core, such systems encompass transactional platforms (for example enterprise resource planning and digital accounting), decision support and analytics tools, customer relationship management and digital collaboration suites. By structuring data flows and embedding automation, they enable real-time insight into finance, supply chains, human resources and customer interactions. Success depends not only on technological capabilities but also on governance frameworks, user engagement and alignment with strategic objectives. Emerging trends include the fusion of advanced analytics and machine learning for predictive decision-making, cloud-native architectures for scalability and modular ecosystems that foster co-creation of value. Globally, organisations leverage these systems to enhance efficiency, innovation and resilience, while practitioners must balance technical performance with human factors such as usability, training and change management.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have deepened understanding of user continuance and satisfaction in core enterprise systems. In the context of small and medium-sized enterprises, empirical work combining information systems success, technology acceptance and expectation-confirmation models has identified system quality, information quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and user satisfaction as key predictors of ongoing use of digital accounting platforms. This integrative approach demonstrates that confirmation of expectations and ease of use are critical for sustaining engagement. Likewise, research in a large shipbuilding firm has shown that in enterprise resource planning implementations, perceived ease of use, system quality, service quality and active user participation positively influence user satisfaction, whereas perceived usefulness alone does not guarantee acceptance. The findings underscore the importance of intuitive interfaces, reliable support services and inclusive design processes in fostering stable system performance and user commitment.

Research from all publishers

In the business intelligence domain, a study of management accountants revealed that system quality, data quality, information quality and service quality each drive both routine and advanced use of BI systems, with advanced use yielding greater performance gains and self-efficacy playing a stronger role under high task complexity. In healthcare, investigation of hospital information systems for infection prevention and control found that technical factors (system, information and service quality) and organisational cultural norms jointly shape clinician satisfaction, intention to use and perceived net benefits, indicating that user-centred design must be complemented by supportive culture. Within electronic government services, research integrating trust and perceived usefulness into the success model demonstrates that quality dimensions together with trust determine user satisfaction, continuance intention and overall net benefits, highlighting the need for transparent communication and relationship management to sustain public engagement.

Business Information Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in business information systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

System quality: The performance attributes of an information system, including reliability, usability and response time.

Information quality: The accuracy, relevance and timeliness of information produced and disseminated by a system.

Service quality: The degree of support and assistance provided to users, encompassing training, technical help and customisation.

Perceived usefulness: The extent to which a user believes that employing a system will enhance job performance.

Perceived ease of use: The degree to which a user expects a system to be free of effort in its operation.

Continuance intention: A user’s resolved commitment to continue using an information system over time.

Business intelligence (BI): Tools and applications that analyse organisational data to support strategic and operational decision-making.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP): Integrated information systems that manage core business processes across finance, manufacturing, supply chain and human resources.

References

1. What determines digital accounting systems’ continuance intention? An empirical investigation in SMEs. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2023).
2. Mechanisms for successful management of enterprise resource planning from user information processing and system quality perspective. Scientific Reports (2023).
3. Determinants and consequences of routine and advanced use of business intelligence (BI) systems by management accountants. Information & Management (2024).
4. Factors Influencing Clinicians’ Use of Hospital Information Systems for Infection Prevention and Control: Cross-Sectional Study Based on the Extended DeLone and McLean Model. Journal of Medical Internet Research (2023).
5. The role of awareness in appraising the success of E-government systems. Cogent Business & Management (2023).