Clinical data warehousing : a business analytics approach for managing health data

Heterogeneous health data is a critical issue when managing health information for quality decision making processes. In this paper we examine the efficient aggregation of lifestyle information through a data warehousing architecture lens. We present a proof of concept for a clinical data warehouse architecture that enables evidence based decision making processes by integrating and organising disparate data silos in support of healthcare services improvement paradigms.

Business Analytics

Atualmente o setor segurador enfrenta diversas dificuldades, não só pela crise económica internacional e pelo mercado cada vez mais competitivo, como também pelas exigências impostas pela entidade reguladora - Instituto de Seguros de Portugal (ISP). Desta forma, apenas as seguradoras que consigam monitorizar os seus riscos, adequando os prémios praticados, conseguirão sobreviver. A forma de o fazer é através de uma adequada tarifação. Neste contexto de elevada instabilidade, as plataformas de Business Intelligence (BI) têm vindo a desempenhar um papel cada vez mais importante no processo de tomada de decisão, nomeadamente, o Business Analytics (BA), que proporciona os métodos e ferramentas de análise. O objetivo deste projeto é desenvolver um protótipo de solução de BA que forneça os inputs necessários ao processo de tomada de decisão, através da monitorização da tarifa em vigor e da simulação do impacto da introdução de uma nova tarifa. A solução desenvolvida apenas abrange a tarifa de responsabilidade civil automóvel (RCA). Ao nível das ferramentas analíticas, o foco foi a análise visual, nomeadamente a construção de dashboards, onde se inclui a análise de sensibilidade ou what-if analysis (WIF). A motivação para o desenvolvimento deste projeto foi a constatação de inexistência de soluções para este fim nos ambientes profissionais em que estive envolvido.

Business analytics and competitive advantage : a review and a research agenda

Business analytics has the potential to deliver performance gains and competitive advantage. However, a theoretically grounded model identifying the factors and processes involved in realizing those performance gains has not been clearly articulated in the literature. This paper draws on the literature on dynamic capabilities to develop such a theoretical framework. It identifies the critical roles of organizational routines and organization-wide capabilities for identifying, resourcing and implementing business analytics-based competitive actions in delivering performance gains and competitive advantage. A theoretical framework and propositions for future research are developed.

The impact of strategy on business analytics success

Business analytics systems are an important strategic investment for many organisations and can potentially contribute significantly to firm performance. In this paper we develop a theoretical model, based on the resource-based view, that explains how business analytics capabilities lead to benefits. We argue that the type of strategy, represented as enterprise architecture, moderates the benefits achieved. Two case studies are then presented, each with a different type of strategy, and we explain how and why benefits were achieved from business analytics systems in each. We then identify the similarities and differences between the two case studies and discuss these using five dimensions that emerge from the case studies: strategic alignment, governance, people, organizational culture and data and technology infrastructure.

Towards a business analytics capability maturity model

Business analytics (BA) systems are an important strategic investment for many organisations and can potentially contribute significantly to firm performance. Establishing strong BA capabilities is currently one of the major concerns of chief information officers. This research project aims to develop a BA capability maturity model (BACMM). The BACMM will help organisations to scope and evaluate their BA initiatives. This research-in-progress paper describes the current BACMM, relates it to existing capability maturity models and explains its theoretical base. It also discusses the design science research approach being used to develop the BACMM and provides details of further work within the research project. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of how the BACMM might be used in practice.

Business analytics e risorse umane. Il caso dell'azienda CAE S.P.A.

La velocità di cambiamento che caratterizza il mercato ha posto l'attenzione di molte imprese alla Business Analysis. La raccolta, la gestione e l'analisi dei dati sta portando numerosi benefici in termini di efficienza e vantaggio competitivo. Questo è reso possibile dal supporto reale dei dati alla strategia aziendale. In questa tesi si propone un'applicazione della Business Analytics nell'ambito delle risorse umane. La valorizzazione del Capitale Intellettuale è fondamentale per il miglioramento della competitività dell'impresa, favorendo così la crescita e lo sviluppo dell'azienda. Le conoscenze e le competenze possono incidere sulla produttività, sulla capacità innovativa, sulle strategie e sulla propria reattività a comprendere le risorse e le potenzialità a disposizione e portano ad un aumento del vantaggio competitivo. Tramite la Social Network Analysis si possono studiare le relazioni aziendali per conoscere diversi aspetti della comunicazione interna nell'impresa. Uno di questi è il knowledge sharing, ovvero la condivisione della conoscenza e delle informazioni all'interno dell'organizzazione, tema di interesse nella letteratura per via delle potenzialità di crescita che derivano dal buon utilizzo di questa tecnica. L'analisi si è concentrata sulla mappatura e sullo studio del flusso di condivisione di due delle principali componenti della condivisione di conoscenza: sharing best prectices e sharing mistakes, nel caso specifico si è focalizzato lo studio sulla condivisione di miglioramenti di processo e di problematiche o errori. È stata posta una particolare attenzione anche alle relazioni informali all'interno dell'azienda, con l'obiettivo di individuare la correlazione tra i rapporti extra-professionali nel luogo di lavoro e la condivisione di informazioni e opportunità in un'impresa. L'analisi delle dinamiche comunicative e l'individuazione degli attori più centrali del flusso informativo, permettono di comprendere le opportunità di crescita e sviluppo della rete di condivisione. La valutazione delle relazioni e l’individuazione degli attori e delle connessioni chiave fornisce un quadro dettagliato della situazione all'interno dell'azienda.

Identity, addressing, authenticity and audit requirements for trust in ERP, analytics and big/open data in a “Cloud” computing environment : a review and proposal

Enterprises, both public and private, have rapidly commenced using the benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) combined with business analytics and “open data sets” which are often outside the control of the enterprise to gain further efficiencies, build new service operations and increase business activity. In many cases, these business activities are based around relevant software systems hosted in a “cloud computing” environment. “Garbage in, garbage out”, or “GIGO”, is a term long used to describe problems in unqualified dependency on information systems, dating from the 1960s. However, a more pertinent variation arose sometime later, namely “garbage in, gospel out” signifying that with large scale information systems, such as ERP and usage of open datasets in a cloud environment, the ability to verify the authenticity of those data sets used may be almost impossible, resulting in dependence upon questionable results. Illicit data set “impersonation” becomes a reality. At the same time the ability to audit such results may be an important requirement, particularly in the public sector. This paper discusses the need for enhancement of identity, reliability, authenticity and audit services, including naming and addressing services, in this emerging environment and analyses some current technologies that are offered and which may be appropriate. However, severe limitations to addressing these requirements have been identified and the paper proposes further research work in the area.

Business 2.0 : a novel model for delivery of business services

Web 2.0, regardless of the exact definition, has proven to bring about significant changes to the way the Internet was used. Evident by key innovations such as Wikipedia, FaceBook, YouTube, and Blog sites, these community-based Website in which contents are generated and consumed by the same group of users are changing the way businesses operate. Advertisements are no longer dasiaforcedpsila upon the viewers but are instead dasiaintelligentlypsila targeted based on the contents of interest. In this paper, we investigate the concept of Web 2.0 in the context of business entities. We asked if Web 2.0 concepts could potentially lead to a change of paradigm or the way businesses operate today. We conclude with a discussion of a Web 2.0 application we recently developed that we think is an indication that businesses will ultimately be affected by these community-based technologies; thus bringing about Business 2.0 - a paradigm for businesses to cooperate with one another to deliver improved products and services to their own customers.

Becoming an analytics-based organisation : strategic agency in the change process in a retail organisation

The paper examines how the upward and downward strategic influences of the head of the BI unit in the case organization have evolved over time and the BI perspective became legitimate in the organization. The analysis covers a decade long period of time. We engaged in an Action Research (AR) inquiry where the change process was explored through the first-hand experiences of one of the co-authors. The model of the strategic agency of middle managers was applied in the analysis. We analyse the evolution as well as the enablers and constraints of the strategic agency of the head of the BI unit in the case organisation and identify the type of strategic agency exhibited in the case.

Making sense of business intelligence : proposing a socio-technical framework for improved decision making in not-for-profit organisations

The authors of this paper argue that human intuition alone cannot be relied upon for strategic decision making in today’s business environment and that quality data intelligence is an imperative. The proposed project described in this paper is research-in-progress, action design research (ADR), to implement an appropriate information systems (IS) enabling enhanced organisational decision making. ADR is a new research method that draws on action research and design research in an organisational setting. In phase 1 of the project, a sociotechnical ‘sense-making’ approach is used to gather and analyse information and decision needs in a not-for-profit (NFP) association, Connections ACT. In phase 2, requirements are designed and modelled to build a conceptual framework that guides NFPs in improving business performance and reporting capability. Phase 3 is the evaluative stage when the framework is reflected upon and refined, with intervention in the organisation’s processes as a promising outcome.

Business process affordances

 The bypassing of established business processes is a significant problem in organisations. This research proposes a novel framework for incorporating psychological and social factors into the business process design. The framework promises to increase system adoption and decrease process bypassing, ultimately making an organisation's work more effective and efficient.

La Business Intelligence per il monitoraggio delle vendite: il caso Ducati Motor Holding

“La Business Intelligence per il monitoraggio delle vendite: il caso Ducati Motor Holding”. L’obiettivo di questa tesi è quello di illustrare cos’è la Business Intelligence e di mostrare i cambiamenti verificatisi in Ducati Motor Holding, in seguito alla sua adozione, in termini di realizzazione di report e dashboard per il monitoraggio delle vendite. L’elaborato inizia con una panoramica generale sulla storia e gli utilizzi della Business Intelligence nella quale vengono toccati i principali fondamenti teorici: Data Warehouse, data mining, analisi what-if, rappresentazione multidimensionale dei dati, costruzione del team di BI eccetera. Si proseguirà mediante un focus sui Big Data convogliando l’attenzione sul loro utilizzo e utilità nel settore dell’automotive (inteso nella sua accezione più generica e cioè non solo come mercato delle auto, ma anche delle moto), portando in questo modo ad un naturale collegamento con la realtà Ducati. Si apre così una breve overview sull’azienda descrivendone la storia, la struttura commerciale attraverso la quale vengono gestite le vendite e la gamma dei prodotti. Dal quarto capitolo si entra nel vivo dell’argomento: la Business Intelligence in Ducati. Si inizia descrivendo le fasi che hanno fino ad ora caratterizzato il progetto di Business Analytics (il cui obiettivo è per l'appunto introdurre la BI i azienda) per poi concentrarsi, a livello prima teorico e poi pratico, sul reporting sales e cioè sulla reportistica basata sul monitoraggio delle vendite.