The subject of the diploma thesis titled, "Collection of Solved Problems of Business Intelligence for Students of the Faculty of Economics" is a creation and description of a series of solved problems of Business Intelligence. The theoretical part is focused on basic terms associated with Business Intelligence. In the practical part, there is showed the usage of MS SQL Server and MS Server Data Tools for creation different parts of the Business Intelligence process.

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Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia Elétrica, 2015. / Submitted by Fernanda Percia França (fernandafranca@bce.unb.br) on 2016-03-01T13:03:54Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_DanieldaCunhaRodriguesdeSouza.pdf: 2516436 bytes, checksum: 2544cf7044dbad7f1b7a38eca39b11ab (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marília Freitas(marilia@bce.unb.br) on 2016-05-26T16:32:54Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_DanieldaCunhaRodriguesdeSouza.pdf: 2516436 bytes, checksum: 2544cf7044dbad7f1b7a38eca39b11ab (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-26T16:32:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2015_DanieldaCunhaRodriguesdeSouza.pdf: 2516436 bytes, checksum: 2544cf7044dbad7f1b7a38eca39b11ab (MD5) / Os novos requisitos para o processamento em baixa latência de streams de dados distribuídos desafiam as arquiteturas tradicionais de processamento de dados. Uma nova classe de sistemas denominados Distributed Stream Processing Systems (DSPS) emergiram para facilitar a analise desses dados em baixa latência. Entretanto, a diversidade de arquiteturas, modelos de processamento e Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) nesses DSPSs aumentaram a complexidade no processo de desenvolvimento de sistemas para o processamento de dados. Nesse contexto, este trabalho propõe uma arquitetura de referência para o processamento de streams para soluções analíticas de near real-time. Essa arquitetura tem como base conceitos arquiteturais que estabelecem uma separação em camadas com responsabilidades bem definidas, resultando em um modelo de referência que promove o reuso de decissões de projeto e suporta a gestão da complexidade no desenvolvimento de sistemas de processamento de stream de dados. Para validar a solução proposta, essa arquitetura de referência é instanciada em um experimento que aborda o uso de dois algoritmos algorítimos probabílisticos: HyperLogLog e Count-Min Sketch. / The current requirement of low latency processing for high volume of data streams is pushing the limits of the traditional data processing architectures. A new class of applications called Distributed Stream Processing Systems (DSPS) has emerged to facilitate such large scale real time data analytics. Nevertheless the diversity of architectures, data models and APIs introduced by the use of these systems resulted in a greater complexity to the development of data processing systems. In this context, a reference architecture to data stream processing for near real-time analytics is proposed in this work. This proposal is based on a layered architecture pattern, with clearly defined responsibilities providing a strong reference model, to improve the maintainability and reuse for data stream processing systems. In order to evaluate the proposed architecture and its framework, a case study is used in which two probabilistic algorithms are applied: the HyperLogLog and the Count-Min Sketch.

This research is a study of the level of maturity of the Competitive Intelligence (CI) function within a South African retail bank. In particular it focussed on the level of maturity of the CI function as evidenced in the various elements of its CI function, namely the key information needs of CI users, CI deliverables and capabilities, analytical products, relationship with management, sources of information, personnel their skills and training as well as the period of time the CI function has been operational. The results indicated that the CI function as a whole was at a Mid-Level of maturity, with the underlying elements of the CI functions surveyed and the literature review being supportive of this finding. / Prof. A.S.A. du Toit

Vast amounts of data are collected on a daily basis, making it difficult for humans to derive at valuable information to make effective decisions. In recent years, the field of Business Intelligence (BI) and Information Visualisation (IV) have become a key driver of an organisation’s success. BI tools supporting decision making need to be accessible to a larger audience on different levels of the organisation. The problem is that non-expert users, or novice users, of BI tools do not have the technical knowledge to conduct data analysis and often rely on expert users to assist. For this reason, BI vendors are shifting their focus to self-service BI, a relatively new term where novice users can analyse data without the traditional human mediator. Despite the proliferation of self-service BI tools, limited research is available on their usability and design considerations to assist novice users with decision making and BI analysis. The contribution of this study is a conceptual framework for designing, evaluating or selecting BI tools that support non-expert users to create dashboards (the BI Framework). A dashboard is a particular IV technique that enables users to view critical information at a glance. The main research problem addressed by this study is that non-expert users often have to utilise a number of software tools to conduct data analysis and to develop visualisations, such as BI dashboards. The research problem was further investigated by following a two-step approach. The first approach was to investigate existing problems by using an in-depth literature review in the fields of BI and IV. The second approach was to conduct a field study (Field Study 1) using a development environment consisting of a number of software components of which SAP Xcelsius was the main BI tool used to create a dashboard. The aim of the field study was to compare the identified problems and requirements with those found in literature. The results of the problem analysis revealed a number of problems in terms of BI software. One of the major problems is that BI tools do not adequately guide users through a logical process to conduct data analysis. In addition, the process becomes increasingly difficult when several BI tools are involved that need to be integrated. The results showed positive aspects when the data was mapped to a visualisation, which increased the users’ understanding of data they were analysing. The results were verified in a focus group discussion and were used to establish an initial set of problems and requirements, which were then synthesised with the problems and requirements identified from literature. Once the major problems were verified, a framework was established to guide the design of BI dashboard tools for novice users. The framework includes a set of design guidelines and usability evaluation criteria for BI tools. An extant systems analysis was conducted using BI tools to compare the advantages and disadvantages. The results revealed that a number of tools could be used by non-experts, however, their usability hinders users. All the participants used in all field studies and evaluations were Computer Science (CS) and Information Systems (IS) students. Participants were specially sourced from a higher education institution such as the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). A second field study (Field Study 2) was conducted with participants using another traditional BI tool identified from the extant systems analysis, PowerPivot. The objective of this field study was to verify the design guidelines and related features that served as a BI Scorecard that can be used to select BI tools. Another BI tool, Tableau, was used for the final evaluation. The final evaluation was conducted with a large participant sample consisting of IS students in their second and third year of study. The results for the two groups revealed a significant difference between participants’ education levels and the usability ratings of Tableau. Additionally, the results indicated a significant relationship between the participants’ experience level and the usability ratings of Tableau. The usability ratings of Tableau were mostly positive and the results revealed that participants found the tool easy to use, flexible and efficient. The proposed BI Framework can be used to assist organisations when evaluating BI tools for adoption. Furthermore, designers of BI tools can use the framework to improve the usability of these tools, reduce the workload for users when creating dashboards, and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of decision support.

Detta examensarbete på D-nivå beskriver skapandet av BI-applikationer och analys av tre olika BI-system. Projekten har givits av Cederroth International AB som är ett av Sveriges största företag inom dagligvaruhandeln. Uppsatsen ger en inblick i vad BI är och hur BI fungerar i företagsvärlden. Det ges även en stegvis beskrivning i hur en applikation skapas med hjälp av BI-systemet QlikView och analyser av BI-systemen QlikView, SQL Server 2005 och BusinessObjects XI om huruvida dessa uppfyller de funktionella kraven på ett BI-verktyg. Bakgrundsinformation om Cederroth och dess system för affärsdatahantering ges också i uppsatsen. Den BI-applikation som beskrivs i denna uppsats involverar finsk återförsäljningsdata. Stegen från grunddata till färdig applikation beskrivs och förklaras ingående i uppsatsen. Analysen av de tre BI-systemen som därefter gjorts har beskrivits i en del där grundinformation följs av en analys med hänsyn till de funktionella aspekterna i BI-systemen. Denna analys resulterade i ett likvärdigt resultat för de tre BI-systemen. BI-systemen hade dock olika lösningar på de funktionella delarna.

Business Intelligence (BI) är ett ämne som ständigt är aktuellt och i takt med en ständigt växande informationsmängd finns det allt fler verksamheter som upplever ett behov av att analysera informationen. Vid Karlstads kommuns Kontaktcenter (KC) finns ett behov av att rapportera om vilka medborgarfrågor som kommer in och registreras samt i vilken mängd frågor inom olika områden kommer in. Ett alternativ som KC har börjat undersöka är att använda sig av BI för att genomföra rapportering och analysering av insamlad information. För att informera KC om vilka utmaningar som finns inom BI tillsammans med verksamhetsstyrning har kandidatuppsatsen arbetats fram. Utmaningarna som beskrivs har hämtats från teori samt intervjuer vid KC och vid Karlstads universitet (KAU) där ett arbete inom BI har pågått i flera år. Därmed beskrivs utmaningar från både verksamheter som är nya inför ett arbete med BI samt mer erfarna verksamheter där BI har funnits en längre tid. Kandidatuppsatsens syfte är att beskriva utmaningar i att använda BI för verksamhetsstyrning ur ett ledningsperspektiv. För att genomföra undersökningen i kandidatuppsatsen har ett kvalitativt angrepssätt tillämpats där insamlad empiri bygger på tre intervjuer. Flera utmaningar har identifierats inom arbete med BI för verksamhetsstyrning. En utmaning är att hantera data som har varierad struktur vilket beror på att den levereras från olika system. Undersökningen visar även att den utmaningen genererar utmaningar inom flera delar av arbete med BI och slutligen resulterar i en ny utmaning inom verksamhetsstyrning med BI. Utmaningen inom verksamhetsstyrning är att använda sig av rätt information för att det ska vara ett stöd vid beslutsfattning. BI kan leverera ett bra stöd men det är viktigt att hantera de utmaningar som lyfts fram i undersökningen. Därför är det viktigt att data som samlas in tidigt följer en struktur som i senare processer kan användas för att slutligen generera ett bra stöd till beslut.

M.Comm. / South Africa as a country continues to rank low in the world of competitiveness. The research done for this dissertation focused on the need for South African organisations to perceive Competitive Intelligence (CI) as one of the most important tools to improve their competitiveness through a systematic, practical approach to make the CI cycle worth while, especially through skills development. This study intends to identify the skills CI professionals in South Africa need in order to conduct the CI process in organisations effectively, thereby improving the country’s competitive position. However, the difficulty of this task lies with organisations in general not acknowledging the necessity of CI in the workplace. Only a limited number of organisations recognise the importance of such a unit. A survey was therefore conducted, by questionnaire, among organisations with existing CI units in which the respondents had to identify the skills they deemed necessary for the CI professional to run the CI process effectively. Findings suggested that the majority of respondents were 40 years and older, in the top structure of larger organisations and had been using CI for longer than five years. The overwhelming result is thus that there are skills inequalities between what skills respondents view as crucial and those that rated highest in their self-evaluation. Skills identified as most important include, among others, networking and research skills analytical abilities. The research also indicated that where CI had been established in certain organisations for at least five years, it did not reflect positively overall on South Africa’s current competitive situation. However, where there is a systematic CI approach, problem-solving is easier to address and negatives could be turned around. With this in mind and a proper “buy-in” into skills development, it will have a very positive outcome for all the organisations that wish to improve their competitiveness.