Business Intelligence - BI for
short, describes a broad category of technologies and solutions for
gathering, consolidating, analyzing, and providing access to data in a way that
lets enterprise users make better business decisions ( Source: BI Glossary ).
This term was introduced by Howard Dresner of the Gartner Group in 1989 to
describe a set of concepts and methods to improve business decision making by
using fact-based support systems. The term is sometimes used interchangeably
with briefing books and executive information systems. A Business
Intelligence System is a DSS.
Business Intelligence
tools include:
BI is especially effective in the areas of Customer Relationship
Management (CRM), Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Enterprise Resource
Planning (ERP),.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM):
Customer Relationship Management includes methodologies, software, and
usually Internet capabilities in an organization manage customer
relationships in an organized way. For
example, and organization might build a database about its customers in
enough detail so that management, salespeople, people providing service, or
anyone else that may interact with a customer can obtain information to
better meet customer needs.
CRM may consist of: ·
Aiding an
organization enable its marketing departments to identify the best customers
CRM Solutions
http://www.salesforce.com/us/products/ http://www.upshot.com/index.html?name=value&CMP=KA4760 http://www.intellitecsolutions.com/ http://www.pfsweb.com/services/customer.html http://www.salesnet.com/index.asp?desc=553103&bhcd2=1052085643 http://www1.avaya.com/enterprise/solutions/crm/?c=se_us&n=CRM&r=ggl_aw&t=search CRM Reference
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Supply Chain Management (SCM):
SCM includes the oversight of materials, information, and finances as
they move in a process from supplier, manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, and
finally to consumer. SCM involves integrating and coordinating these flows
both within and among companies. The goal of a SCM system may be to inventory
with the assumption that products are available when needed. Sophisticated
SCM software systems with Web interfaces are competing with Web-based
application service providers that provide SCM services for companies.
SCM can be divided into
three main flows: ·
Product: Includes the
movement of goods from supplier to customer and accommodates customer returns
and service needs. ·
Information: Includes transmitting orders and updating the
delivery status. ·
Finances: Consists of
credit terms, payment schedules, and consignment and title ownership
arrangements. SCM software types: ·
Planning
Applications: advanced algorithms to determine the
best way to fill an order ·
Execution
Applications: track the physical status of goods, the
management of materials, and financial information involving all parties. Some SCM systems are based on open data models that
facilitate sharing of information inside and outside the organization
(extended enterprise). By sharing data
upstream to suppliers and downstream to clients, SCM systems can improve
time-to-market products, reduce costs, and allow all parties in the supply
chain to better manage resources. SCM Solutions http://www.ovitztaylorgates.com/TheSupplyChainManagementToolBox.html http://www.scmevaluation.com/Index.asp http://www.made2manage.com/made2manage/default.aspx?pageid=10 http://www.scmmicro.com/flash.html Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Includes activities supported
by application software that helps an organization manage the important parts
of its business (i.e. product
planning, parts purchasing, maintaining inventories, interacting with
suppliers, providing customer service, and tracking orders). Additionally,
ERP may include finance and human resources aspects of a business. Deployment
of an ERP may involve considerable business process analysis, employee
retraining, and new work procedures.
ERP Solutions http://www.erpevaluation.com/index.asp http://www.made2manage.com/made2manage/default.aspx?pageid=3 http://www.intelligenterp.com/ 2 - Listed below are some of the main players in
the BI arena: Microsoft
– offers tools like Microsoft Excel, Office web components and Data Analyzer.
Excel
enables everyday users to access, analyze, create, and share critical
business data. The Office
Web components extend the power of Excel beyond the desktop, enabling
developers to use the powerful functionality of Excel spreadsheets, charts,
PivotTables and PivotCharts within custom, Web-based intranet applications,
dashboards, and business intelligence portals. The Data
Analyzer extends the business intelligence capabilities of Microsoft
Office XP by adding rich visualization and analysis capabilities. SAS – offers business intelligence solutions,
which are tailored for different industries. Their software products augment existing
CRM, SCM applications that span the full data warehousing process and
high-end analytics. 3 - Corporate performance management (CPM)
describes the methodologies, metrics, processes and systems used to monitor
and manage the business performance of an enterprise.
This
area includes the following tools:
Some success stories in
the CPM field: Comshare MPC’s flexibility
enables Isco to use its existing financial reporting software, thereby giving
the company more management reporting flexibility, while saving the company
money in the long run. Further, Comshare MPC houses both financial and non
financial information, provides easy access and administration through a web
browser, and is designed to work with Isco’s existing Microsoft SQL Server
database — so Isco’s IT group didn’t need to invest in additional software or
training. Teradata
Warehouse keeps PING golf clubs on target! As Quaker Chemical Launches
Strategic Performance Management for Global Excellence With customers in over 40
countries and operations spread across 16, Quaker Chemical knows that
continued growth and profits depend on keeping employees in tune with
corporate strategy. Using SAS Strategic Performance Management, the
Pennsylvania-based chemical manufacturer integrates data from around the
world and across departments to generate the kind of business intelligence
employees need to make decisions that promote confidence and teamwork. Cognos® Solution
Takes One Million Pains Out of Reporting and Analysis Siemens Medical Solutions
USA, Inc. is one of the largest suppliers of healthcare equipment in the
world. The company's innovative products, services, and complete systems
range from imaging systems for diagnosis and therapy equipment for treatment
to electromedicine and hearing instruments, to IT Systems that optimize
workflow and increase efficiency in hospitals, clinics, and physicians’offices.
Siemens Medical Solutions USA also offers a variety of data management
systems and is currently the largest ASP in healthcare. Longview Solutions
and Cisco Take Financial Planning to a New Level with CPMl. From the late 1990s into
2001, Cisco went through a period of meteoric growth. The company’s revenues
rose from $2.1 billion in 1995 to over $22 billion in 2001. Their existing
corporate performance management system could no longer support their
worldwide planning process. Cisco needed a scalable application to meet and
exceed their demanding functional requirements. 4 - Jobs related to
marketing found on www.monster.com for
the Atlanta area. The Marketing Research & Support
Analyst The Marketing
Research & Support Analyst will conduct research on load and energy data
to provide accurate and meaningful information for market planning, sales,
pricing, costing and forecasting for retail energy markets. Will analyze company and external data to
understand existing and changing load and energy buying behavior of
customers. Perform database mining,
analysis and reporting. Consult with
marketing staff to support needs. The Residential Sales and Marketing
Analyst The
Residential Sales and Marketing Analyst will ensure that pricing and rates of
residential customers are properly designed and applied. Additionally, this individual will maintain
a rates product catalog and serve as the primary contact on matters regarding
pricing and rate programs, manage customer accounts, as well as, initiate and
participate in marketing programs that will grow the business. The individual will develop and lead the
implementation of the Southern Company GAS marketing strategy, products and
sales programs for the residential customer segment. This will be accomplished in a spirit of
team work so as to seamlessly coordinate Marketing & Sales activities
with Customer Operations, Risk, Regulatory, IT and Finance. Analyst will also be responsible for
P&L, team building and reporting.
Other responsibilities will include:
Some common elements that
all employers seem to want are an MBA, Financial Modeling Experience, and experience in
providing business analysis for information technology projects. As shown
above, knowledge of business intelligence can only add value to any job or
position. The number of ways you can apply knowledge are limited only by your
imagination. MBA 8011 has given me the fundamental tools and knowledge to add
immediate value to my current job as well as position myself better for any
future opportunities that may arise in the near future. |
