A strategy for implementing business intelligence

• Main Author: Arndt, Reinhardt
• Other Authors: Fourie, L. C. H.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: Business intelligence; Business technology; Business analysis; Business knowledge; Dissertations > Business management; Theses > Business management
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/50282

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The management of information has become an important field in the current business world. It is therefore not only important for organisations to gather data and information, but to convert this data and information into usable intelligence to improve their business. Now, more than ever, it is true that in business knowledge is power, or more specifically. the application of knowledge in developing new skills, innovation, creativity and human capital. This leads to the concept of business intelligence, the conversion of data and information to intelligence. Business intelligence can assist organisations to reach their information goals, as well as to implement and execute the corporate strategy. Some of the main business categories business intelligence can help drive include: revenue increases; profit increases; customer satisfaction; decrease in cost and risk; and market share gain. Business intelligence can be described as the marriage of business analysis and technology. It is important to recognise that there is more than one dimension to business intelligence and that it not only comprises of technology. Business intelligence can provide insight into what happened (the past), what is happening (the present) and what is likely to happen (the future). It further supports corporate performance management, the latest thinking on performance management. This study illustrates not only the value business intelligence can bring to organisations, but also the challenges in implementing business intelligence solutions, and the path organisations could follow to achieve a successful business intelligence implementation. Organisations should first understand what value business intelligence can deliver to the organisation, before they begin their business intelligence initiative. The value to the organisation should be well articulated to ensure continuous support from the top management and alignment with the overall corporate direction and strategy. The overall maturity of the organisation, also viewed from a systems perspective, plays an important role and organisations should not try to do too much too soon. The evolution diagram and business intelligence maturity model can guide organisations to understand their current status to make the right decision on the amount of change the organisation can manage in the implementation of the business intelligence solution. Organisations should be cognisant of the challenges to overcome in implementing a business intelligence solution. These challenges are significant aspects of the initiative. The business intelligence transformation roadmap, including the business intelligence implementation approach, will guide organisations through these challenges to ensure a successful implementation for the organisation. This study proves that business intelligence can add value to organisations if it is implemented as proposed in this document. The main objective of the study has been achieved, namely the development of a complete strategy to implement business intelligence. The study includes a holistic approach to business intelligence in the form of a business intelligence transformation roadmap. The roadmap can be used to engage executives in business intelligence implementations to help sell new initiatives or improve current business intelligence initiatives. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die bestuur van inligting is vandag 'n belangrike studieveld in die sakewereld. Daarom het dit noodsaaklik geword dat organisasies nie net data en inligting inwin nie, maar ook hierdie data en inligting in bruikbare intelligensie omskep ten einde hul besighede te bestuur en te verbeter. Nou, meer as ooit tevore, is dit in die sakewereld waar dat kennis mag is, of meer spesifiek, die toepassing van kennis in die ontwikkeling van nuwe vaardighede, innovasie, kreatiwiteit en menslike kapitaal. Dit lei tot die konsep van besigheidsintelligensie - die verandering van data en inligting in intelligensie. Besigheidsintelligensie kan organisasies help om hul inligtingsdoelwitte te bereik, en ook bydra tot die implementering en uitvoering van die korporatiewe strategie. Die hoofbesigheidskategorieë wat besigheidsintelligensie kan verbeter, is onder meer: inkomsteverhoging; winsverhoging; klientediens; kostebesnoeiing; risikoverlaging; asook 'n verhoging van markaandeel. Besigheidsintelligensie kan beskryf word as die samevoeging van besigheidsanalise en tegnologie. Daar moet onthou word dat besigheidsintelligensie meer as een dimensie het. Tegnologie is nie al dimensie nie. Besigheidsintelligensie kan insig bied in wat gebeur het (die verlede), wat tans gebeur (die hede) en wat moontlik gaan gebeur (die toekoms). Verder ondersteun besigheidsintelligensie korporatiewe prestasiebestuur, die nuutste denke oor die prestasiebestuur van organisasies. Hierdie studie beklemtoon nie slegs die waarde wat besigheidsintelligensie kan toevoeg nie. maar ook die uitdagings in die toepassing van die tipe stelsels, asook hoe organisasies dit suksesvol kan toepas. Organisasies moet eers die waarde wat besigheidsintelligensie kan toevoeg, verstaan voordat met die besigheidsintelligensie inisiatief begin word. Die waarde wat dit vir die organisasie inhou, moet baie goed verduidelik word om seker te maak dat die topbestuurspan die besigheidsintelligensie inisiatief ondersteun en dit op koers hou met die oorkoepelende korporatiewe rigting en strategie. Die ontwikkelingsvlak van die organisasie speel 'n belangrike rol in die rigting wat die besigheidsintelligensie implementering moet volg en die organisasie moet nie te veel te vinnig probeer doen nie. Die evolusie diagram en die model vir die besigheidsintelligensie-vlakke van ontwikkeling kan as riglyn dien om die huidige status van die organisasie te bepaal om sodoende die regte besluite te neem oor die mate van verandering wat die organisasie kan hanteer. Organisasies moet bewus wees van die uitdagings wat oorkom moet word in die toepassing van 'n besigheidsintelligensie oplossing. Hierdie uitdagings vorm 'n baie belangrike aspek van die besigheidsintelligensie-initiatief. Die besigheidsintelligensie transformasiepadkaart insluitende die implementering benadering, sal die organisasie deur die uitdagings lei ten einde 'n suksesvolle besigheidsintelligensie-implementering vir die organisasie te verseker. Hierdie studie bewys dat besigheidsintelligensie vir organisasies waarde kan toevoeg indien dit geimplementeer word soos wat in die dokument voorgestel word. Die hoofdoel van die studie is bereik, naamlik die ontwikkeling van 'n volledige strategie oor die toepassing van besigheidsintelligensie in 'n organisasie. Die studie sluit in 'n holistiese benadering tot besigheidsintelligensie in die vorm van 'n besigheidsintelligensie transformasiepadkaart. Die padkaart, asook die model vir die vlakke van ontwikkeling kan die organisasie deur die implementering lei. Die padkaart kan gebruik word om uitvoerende hoofde by die besigheidsintelligensie-inisiatiewe te betrek om sodoende nuwighede te help vestig of die huidige inisiatiewe te verbeter.