Applications are said to run on top of the system software, since the system software is made of "low-level" programs. While system software is automatically installed with the operating system, you can choose which applications you want to install and run on your computer.

A management information system (MIS) is a computer system consisting of hardware and software that serves as the backbone of an organization's operations. An MIS gathers data from multiple online systems, analyzes the information, and reports data to aid in management decision-making.