Unit
Unit
Business Intelligence (BI) refers to the technologies, applications, and practices used
to collect, integrate, analyze, and present business information. Its primary goal is to
support better decision-making within organizations by providing insights into past,
present, and future business operations.
Data Collection: BI systems gather data from various sources, including internal
systems (like databases and ERP systems), external sources (such as market data and
social media), and even unstructured sources (like emails and documents).
Data Integration: Data from different sources are integrated and transformed into a
unified format for analysis. This often involves cleaning, transforming, and
structuring the data to make it suitable for analysis.
Data Analysis: Once the data is prepared, BI tools and techniques are used to analyze
it. This can involve various methods, including statistical analysis, data mining, and
machine learning, to identify patterns, trends, and insights.
Data Visualization: The insights gained from data analysis are then presented in a
visual format, such as charts, graphs, and dashboards. Visualizations make it easier
for decision-makers to understand complex data and identify key insights quickly.
Business Intelligence (BI) is about getting the right information, to the right decision
makers, at the right time.BI is an enterprise-wide platform that supports reporting,
analysis and decision making.BI leads to fact-based decision making.
Business intelligence combines business analytics, data mining, data visualization, data tools
and infrastructure, and best practices to help organizations make more data-driven
decisions.
The need for BI was derived from the concept that managers with inaccurate or incomplete
information will tend, on average, to make worse decisions than if they had better
information. Creators of financial models recognize this as “garbage in, garbage out.”
Definition :
Business intelligence may be defined as a set of mathematical models and analysis
methodologies that exploit the available data to generate information and knowledge
useful for complex decision-making processes.
Data: Data are raw facts and figures collected from various sources within and
outside the organization. In BI, data can come from transactional systems (like sales
databases), external sources (such as market research data), or even unstructured
sources like social media feeds and customer emails. Examples of data include
customer names, product prices, sales figures, and so on. Data by itself may not have
much meaning or relevance until it is processed and analyzed.
Information: Information is data that has been processed, organized, and presented in
a meaningful context. In BI, information is derived from analyzing and interpreting
data to uncover patterns, trends, and insights. For example, aggregating sales data by
region to identify which geographic areas are performing well or poorly would
provide valuable information for decision-making. Information adds context and
relevance to data, making it useful for decision-making purposes.
For example: Number of customers purchased the product,
satisfaction levels, competitor information, and so on.
For example: Satisfaction level related to price based on the
competitor product.
Knowledge: The manufacturer learned what to do for customer
satisfaction and increase product sales.
For example: The manufacturing cost of the product,
transportation cost, quality of the product, and so on.
Finally, we can say that the data-information-knowledge hierarchy seemed like
a great idea. However, by using predictive analytics we can simulate an
intelligent behavior and provide a good approximation. In the following image is
an example of how to turn data into knowledge:
A business intelligence system provides decision makers with information and knowledge
extracted from data, through the application of mathematical models and algorithms.
1.First, the objectives of the analysis are identified and the performance indicators that
will be used to evaluate alternative options are defined.
3. Finally, what-if analyses are carried out to evaluate the effects on the performance
determined by variations in the control variables and changes in the parameters.
Benefits of BI architecture
Technology benchmarks. A BI architecture articulates the technology standards
and data management and business analytics practices that support an organization's
BI efforts, as well as the specific platforms and tools deployed.
Improved decision-making. Enterprises benefit from an effective BI architecture by
using the insights generated by business intelligence tools to make data-driven
decisions that help increase revenue and profits.
Technology blueprint. A BI framework serves as a technology blueprint for
collecting, organizing and managing BI data and then making the data available for
analysis, data visualization and reporting. A strong BI architecture automates
reporting and incorporates policies to govern the use of the technology components.
Enhanced coordination. Putting such a framework in place enables a BI team to
work in a coordinated and disciplined way to build an enterprise BI program that
meets the organization's data analytics needs. The BI architecture also helps BI and
data managers create an efficient process for handling and managing the business
data that's pulled into the environment.
Time savings. By automating the process of collecting and analyzing data, BI helps
organizations save time on manual and repetitive tasks, freeing up their teams to
focus on more high-value projects.
Scalability. An effective BI infrastructure is easily scalable, enabling businesses to
change and expand as necessary.
Improved customer service. Business intelligence enhances customer
understanding and service delivery by helping track customer satisfaction and
facilitate timely improvements. For example, an e-commerce store can use BI to track
order delivery times and optimize shipping for better customer satisfaction.
Data Sources
Data sources are the cornerstone of business intelligence architecture. Basically, there are both
internal sources, such as databases, ERP, and CRM systems, and external — social media, market
research, and web analytics sources. They provide the raw data needed for analysis and decision-
making.
When identifying sources, considerations like relevancy, freshness, and quality come into place.
Here it is also important to understand what type of data you need to get from sources —
structured or unstructured. Typically, it depends on your business’ final goal. In some cases, you
may opt for structured information only or incorporate it alongside semi-structured and
unstructured types.
With so many sources, it is important to integrate information accurately into the BI ecosystem.
Here are some ETL (extract, transform, load) tools that play a significant role in this process:
Generally, ETL tools clean, combine, and integrate data. These steps guarantee that information is
properly formatted, standardized, and connected for effective analysis and reporting.
Overall, ETL tools help companies gather data from different sources and put it all in one central
storage. Thus empowering businesses to simply access, analyze, and gain important insights from
data.
Data Storage
When it comes to storage, there are several data repositories, and among them are data lakes
and data warehouses. The first one contains unprocessed and raw data. The second one, on the
other hand, stores structured and semi-structured data in organized schemas that are best for
analysis and querying.
Data Processing
To transform your information into valuable insights, efficient processing requires specific tools.
And one of them is data aggregation. It helps group records by the time period, region, product
category, or other relevant dimensions.
At its core, aggregation aims to simplify complex datasets, making them more accessible and
meaningful for BI users. You can go even further and implement machine learning in your data
processing. It can help automate operations like cleansing, transformation, and data preparation.
On top of that, you can include predictive analytics in processing to forecast outcomes. By having
correct historical records, you can have a clear picture of the market’s future trends, stay relevant
with changes, and remain competitive.
A solid BI architecture framework consists of:
Collection of data: The first step is related to the collection of relevant
data from various external and internal sources which can be databases,
ERP- or CRM systems, flat files, or APIs, just to name a few.
Data integration: At this stage, the data collected is integrated into a
centralized system, often with the help of ETL processes. Here the data is
also cleaned and prepared for analysis.
Storage of data: This is where a DWH comes into the picture. A warehouse
is a place in which structured data is stored. It makes it available for
querying and analysis.
Data analysis: After the information is processed, stored, and cleaned it is
ready to be analyzed. With the help of the right tool, the data is visualized
and used for strategic decision-making.
Distribution of data: The data, now in the form of graphs and charts, is
distributed in different formats. This can be online reporting,
dashboarding, or embedding solutions.
Reaction based on insights: The final stage of the architecture is to extract
actionable insights from the data and use them to make improved
decisions to ensure company growth.
For example, any retail company can analyze the sales data to figure out the products
that are top-selling and the products that least sell.
For example, For any retail company, the data model consists of products, their
customers, and the sales data
For example, in any retail company, physical schema consists of sales-related facts,
product-customer relationships, and the sales transactions
For example, The project structure of the retail company consists of the attributes of
the data, the design, and the working flow of the system. This project structure or
metadata gives a brief idea about the working of the system.
For example, the retail company needs to monitor the reports and statistics
accordingly to increase the profit of the sales.
Developing a Business Intelligence (BI) system involves several
stages, from planning and requirements gathering to
implementation, testing, and deployment. Here's a step-by-step guide
to developing a BI system:
Define Business Objectives: Start by clearly defining the business objectives and
goals that the BI system aims to address. Identify the key stakeholders and their
requirements to ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
Data Assessment and Preparation: Assess the availability, quality, and relevance of
existing data sources. Identify data gaps and inconsistencies that need to be addressed.
Develop data integration, cleansing, and transformation processes to prepare the data
for analysis.
Select BI Tools and Technologies: Choose appropriate BI tools and technologies
based on the requirements and budget of the project. Consider factors such as data
visualization capabilities, scalability, ease of use, and integration with existing
systems.
Design Data Architecture: Design the data architecture of the BI system, including the
data warehouse, data marts, and data models. Define the structure of the data
repository, data schemas, and relationships between data entities to support efficient
querying and analysis.
Test and Quality Assurance: Conduct rigorous testing of the BI system to ensure
functionality, performance, and reliability. Test data integration, data validation,
report generation, and dashboard interactivity to identify and resolve any issues or
bugs.
Deployment and Rollout: Deploy the BI system into production environment,
ensuring that it meets security, scalability, and performance requirements. Monitor
system performance and user feedback during the initial rollout phase, and make
adjustments as needed.
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UNIT - 4
1. Logistic Regression:
Planning and Operations: Carefully planning and managing each step to ensure everything
flows well from start to finish.
Systemic Perspective: Looking at the whole system as one big connected process rather than
separate parts. This helps in making better decisions and taking actions that benefit the entire
chain.
Integrated Operations in Manufacturing Companies
Many companies, especially those making consumer goods (like food, clothing, electronics), focus
a lot on integrating their supply chains. This means:
Upstream Integration: Working closely with suppliers to get materials in the best way
possible.
Downstream Integration: Ensuring that the distribution and delivery of products to customers
are efficient.
Efficiency Increases: Everything runs more smoothly, saving time and money.
Better Coordination: Different parts of the chain can work together better, reducing delays
and problems.
Customer Satisfaction: Products get to customers faster and more reliably.
Visualizing the Supply Chain
Think of the supply chain as a series of steps:
Key Concepts
Production Volumes: The amount of each product to produce in each time period.
Planning Horizon: The total period over which planning is done, divided into
𝑇
T smaller time periods (e.g., months or quarters).
Demand: The expected quantity of each product that customers will need in each time period.
Capacity Limits: The maximum amount of products that can be produced with the available
resources in each time period.
Costs: Includes manufacturing costs (costs of making products) and inventory costs (costs of
storing products until they are sold).
Decision Variables
These are the variables that the planner can control, such as:
What is Backlogging?
Backlogging happens when a company cannot meet all the customer demand in the current period
but promises to fulfill the unmet demand in the next period. There’s usually an extra cost (penalty)
associated with this delay because customers have to wait longer for their orders.
Example of Backlogging:
Imagine a company that makes custom furniture. In January, a customer orders 10 custom tables,
but the company can only produce 7 tables due to limited resources. The remaining 3 tables will
be made and delivered in February.
January:
Order: 10 tables.
Production: 7 tables.
Backlog: 3 tables (to be delivered in February).
February:
Data Collection: Gathering historical data on sales, customer behavior, and market trends.
Demand Forecasting: Predicting future demand based on historical data and current market
conditions.
Dynamic Pricing: Adjusting prices based on demand forecasts, competition, and other
factors.
Inventory Management: Allocating the right amount of product or service to different
channels to maximize revenue.
Performance Monitoring: Continuously tracking performance and making adjustments as
needed.
Example of Revenue Management System
Let's use an example of a hotel to illustrate how a revenue management system works.
Scenario:
A hotel wants to maximize its revenue by adjusting room prices based on demand.
Step-by-Step Process:
Data Collection:
The hotel collects data on past bookings, including dates, room types, prices, and occupancy rates.
They also gather data on local events, holidays, and competitor pricing.
Demand Forecasting:
The hotel uses the RMS to adjust room prices based on the forecasted demand.
For instance, during the festival, the system suggests increasing room prices because demand is
expected to be high.
Conversely, during off-peak periods, the RMS recommends lowering prices to attract more guests.
Inventory Management:
The RMS helps the hotel decide how many rooms to allocate to different booking channels (e.g.,
direct bookings, online travel agencies).
For example, it might reserve more rooms for direct bookings during high-demand periods to
avoid paying commission fees to travel agencies.
Performance Monitoring:
2. Production Forecasting:
- Explanation: Production forecasting involves predicting future production levels or demand
for goods or services based on historical data, market trends, and other relevant factors. It helps
organizations optimize production schedules, manage inventory levels, and meet customer
demand efficiently.
- How it's Done:
1. Data Collection: Collect historical production data, sales records, market demand
forecasts, and any other relevant information.
2. Data Analysis: Analyze the historical data to identify patterns, trends, and seasonality.
This may involve time series analysis, regression analysis, or machine learning techniques.
3. Model Selection: Choose an appropriate forecasting model based on the nature of the
data and the forecasting horizon. Common models include ARIMA (AutoRegressive Integrated
Moving Average), exponential smoothing, and machine learning algorithms.
4. Model Training: Train the selected forecasting model using the historical production
data. Adjust parameters and fine-tune the model as needed to improve accuracy.
5. Forecasting: Use the trained model to generate production forecasts for future time
periods. These forecasts provide estimates of expected production levels, allowing organizations
to plan resources, adjust inventory levels, and optimize operations accordingly.
- Example: Consider a manufacturing company that produces automobiles. By analyzing
historical production data, sales trends, and market demand forecasts, they can use production
forecasting models to predict future demand for different car models. Based on these forecasts, the
company can adjust production schedules, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure that they meet
customer demand while minimizing inventory costs and production bottlenecks.
1. Customer Segmentation: Customer segmentation divides the target market into distinct groups
based on characteristics such as demographics, psychographics, and purchasing behavior. By
segmenting customers, businesses can tailor marketing campaigns to specific segments, improving
relevance and effectiveness.
Example: A retail company segments its customers based on factors like age, income level, and
buying habits. They identify high-value segments, such as young professionals with high
disposable income, and create targeted advertising campaigns featuring products and promotions
tailored to their preferences.
2. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): CLV predicts the total revenue a customer will generate
over their entire relationship with the business. It helps businesses prioritize customer acquisition
and retention efforts by focusing on customers with the highest long-term value.
Example: An e-commerce company calculates the CLV of its customers by analyzing historical
purchase data, average order value, and purchase frequency. They identify customers with the
highest CLV and implement loyalty programs or personalized offers to retain and upsell to these
valuable customers.
3. Marketing Mix Modeling: Marketing mix modeling assesses the impact of various marketing
activities (e.g., advertising, promotions, pricing) on sales and revenue. It helps businesses allocate
marketing budgets more effectively by identifying the most impactful marketing channels and
tactics.
Example: A consumer goods company uses marketing mix modeling to analyze the
effectiveness of different advertising channels (e.g., TV, digital, print) on product sales. They
discover that digital advertising has a higher return on investment (ROI) compared to traditional
channels and adjust their marketing budget accordingly.
4. Churn Prediction: Churn prediction models forecast the likelihood of customers discontinuing
their relationship with the business (churn). By identifying customers at risk of churn, businesses
can implement targeted retention strategies to reduce customer attrition.
Example: A grocery store analyzes transaction data to identify common product combinations,
such as chips and salsa or milk and cereal. They use this information to place complementary
products next to each other on shelves and create targeted promotions to encourage customers to
buy related items together.
Customer Segmentation:
Customer segmentation is the process of dividing a company's customer base into groups with
similar characteristics, behaviors, or needs. By categorizing customers into segments, businesses
can tailor their marketing strategies and offerings to better meet the specific needs and preferences
of each group. This approach enables more effective targeting, messaging, and customer
relationship management.
Example
Consider a company that operates an online fashion retailer. They have a diverse customer base
with varying demographics, shopping behaviors, and style preferences. To better understand and
serve their customers, the company decides to implement customer segmentation.
1. Data Collection: The company gathers data from various sources, including online transactions,
website interactions, customer surveys, and social media engagement. They collect information
such as age, gender, location, purchase history, browsing behavior, and product preferences.
2. Segmentation Criteria: Based on the collected data, the company identifies key segmentation
criteria to group customers. These criteria may include:
- Demographic factors: Age, gender, income, occupation, marital status.
- Psychographic factors: Lifestyle, interests, values, attitudes.
- Behavioral factors: Purchase frequency, average order value, brand loyalty, product
category preferences.
- Geographic factors: Location, climate, urban/rural area.
3. Segmentation Analysis: Using data analysis techniques and segmentation algorithms, the
company analyzes the collected data to identify distinct customer segments. For example, they
may discover segments such as:
- Fashion-forward millennials: Young, urban consumers with a high affinity for trendy
clothing and accessories.
- Budget-conscious shoppers: Price-sensitive customers who prioritize discounts and
promotions.
- Luxury seekers: Affluent customers who prefer premium brands and exclusive designer
labels.
4. Segmentation Implementation: Once the segments are identified, the company tailors its
marketing strategies and offerings to target each segment effectively. This may involve:
- Personalized product recommendations based on segment preferences.
- Targeted email campaigns featuring relevant promotions and new arrivals.
- Customized website experiences with curated content and style guides.
- Segment-specific advertising messages and social media content.
5. Evaluation and Iteration: The company continuously monitors the effectiveness of its
segmentation strategy and iterates based on feedback and performance metrics. They analyze key
performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales, conversion rates, customer satisfaction, and retention
to assess the impact of segmentation on business outcomes.
UNIT - 3
Q.1-Explain Identification of good and operating practices and also give an example of it
Business Intelligence is a crucial function for organizations to make informed decisions based on
data. Good and operating practices are essential for successful Business Intelligence initiatives,
ensuring that they are efficient and effective in delivering value to the business.
What are good and operating practices?
Good practices are proven approaches, methods, and techniques that have been shown to work
well in a specific context. In Business Intelligence, good practices help organizations improve the
quality of their BI solutions, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. These practices are often based
on industry standards, benchmarking, and lessons learned from previous experiences.
Some examples of good practices in Business Intelligence include:
- Standardized data modeling and architecture: Using a standardized data modeling approach
(such as dimensional modeling) helps ensure that data is organized and easily accessible for
analysis.
- Data governance frameworks: A well-defined data governance framework enables organizations
to manage data quality, accuracy, and security effectively.
- Self-service BI platforms: User-friendly and self-service BI platforms empower business users to
easily access and analyze data without relying on IT.
- Agile Development: Adopting an iterative approach to BI development, where solutions are built
incrementally and can adapt to changing requirements.
Operating practices, on the other hand, are the day-to-day procedures and habits that govern how
BI teams work. They are the routine activities, processes, and behaviors that are necessary to
sustain and maintain BI systems. Operating practices ensure that BI teams manage and maintain
BI systems effectively, monitor and report on performance metrics, respond to changing business
needs, and continuously improve their operations.
Some examples of operating practices in Business Intelligence include:
- Regular data refreshes and updates: Scheduling regular data refreshes and updates ensures that
data used for analysis is up-to-date and reflects the latest business activities.
- Monitoring and reporting on data quality issues: Monitoring and reporting on data quality issues
(such as data inconsistencies or missing values) enables BI teams to identify and address data
quality issues.
- Performance tuning and optimization: Performance tuning and optimization of BI systems ensure
that they continue to operate efficiently over time.
- Continuous Improvement: Regularly reviewing and enhancing BI processes, tools, and reports
based on user feedback and evolving business needs.
Example:
Q.2 Explain cross efficiency analysis and also give an example of it.
Here's how it works: Imagine you have several departments in a company, each responsible for
different tasks, like production, marketing, and sales. Each department has its own set of
objectives or key performance indicators (KPIs), such as production output, customer satisfaction
ratings, and revenue generated.
Cross-efficiency analysis is a method used in business intelligence to evaluate the relative
efficiency of different decision-making units (DMUs) within an organization. This technique
extends traditional Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) by incorporating the evaluations of each
DMU by all other DMUs, providing a more comprehensive and discriminating assessment of
efficiency.
Cross-efficiency analysis allows you to assess how well each department performs relative to
others across all the different objectives. It involves a step-by-step process:
1. Define the objectives: Identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are relevant to
evaluating performance across departments.
2. Collect data: Gather data on the performance of each department based on the selected KPIs.
3. Normalize the data: Since the units and scales of the KPIs may differ, normalize the data to
ensure comparability. This often involves scaling the data to a common range, such as 0 to 1.
4. Calculate efficiencies: Calculate the efficiency of each department in achieving each objective.
Efficiency is typically measured as the ratio of outputs to inputs, where inputs are resources
expended (such as time, money, or effort) and outputs are the results achieved (such as production
units, sales revenue, or customer satisfaction scores).
5. Compute cross efficiencies: Compare each department's efficiency scores against those of other
departments. This involves calculating cross efficiencies, which represent each department's
efficiency relative to all others. A department with high cross efficiency scores is considered to be
performing well across multiple objectives compared to its peers.
6. Identify strengths and weaknesses: Analyze the results to identify areas of strength and
weakness for each department. This information can be used to make informed decisions about
resource allocation, process improvement, and performance management.
For example, let's say you're conducting a cross-efficiency analysis for a retail company with
departments for online sales, in-store sales, and customer service. You might measure their
performance based on criteria such as sales revenue, customer satisfaction ratings, and inventory
turnover. By comparing the cross efficiencies of these departments, you can identify which ones
are most effective at achieving the company's overall goals and where improvements can be made
to enhance overall performance.
In cross-efficiency analysis, virtual inputs and outputs are hypothetical measures used to assess the
relative performance of entities, such as departments or individuals, across multiple criteria. They
allow for a comprehensive comparison of efficiency by taking into account all relevant factors,
even those not directly measurable.
Virtual Inputs: These represent additional resources or inputs that could potentially improve the
performance of an entity. They are used to assess how well an entity utilizes its available
resources compared to others. Virtual inputs are typically expressed as negative values, indicating
that the entity could achieve higher efficiency if it had access to more of these resources. For
example, in a manufacturing context, virtual inputs might include factors like additional
manpower, raw materials, or machinery.
Virtual Outputs: These represent additional outputs or achievements that an entity could
potentially generate if it were operating at maximum efficiency. They are used to evaluate how
effectively an entity converts its inputs into desirable outcomes compared to others. Virtual
outputs are typically expressed as positive values, indicating that the entity could achieve higher
efficiency if it were able to produce more of these outcomes. For instance, in a customer service
setting, virtual outputs might include factors like higher customer satisfaction ratings, repeat
business, or referrals.
By incorporating virtual inputs and outputs into the cross-efficiency analysis, it becomes possible
to identify areas where improvements can be made to enhance overall performance. Entities with
high virtual input values may need to optimize resource allocation or streamline processes to
operate more efficiently, while those with high virtual output values may need to focus on
enhancing their capabilities to deliver better outcomes.
Identified Clusters:
Cluster 1: High Spenders: Customers who spend a lot per visit but shop infrequently. They might
buy luxury items or electronics.
Cluster 2: Frequent Shoppers: Customers who visit the store often but spend moderate amounts.
They might be buying everyday items like groceries.
Cluster 3: Bargain Hunters: Customers who spend little per visit but visit frequently, looking for
discounts and deals.
Actionable Insights:
Transaction amount
Transaction frequency
Transaction location
Outlier Analysis: The bank uses outlier analysis to detect transactions that significantly deviate
from typical transaction patterns.
Identified Outliers:
Unusually Large Transactions: Transactions much larger than the average, possibly indicating
fraud.
High-Frequency Transactions: A high number of transactions in a short period, which might be
automated or fraudulent.
Unusual Locations: Transactions from locations where the customer typically does not transact.
Actionable Insights:
Unusually Large Transactions: Flag these transactions for further review by the fraud detection
team.
High-Frequency Transactions: Investigate the source to ensure they are legitimate.
Unusual Locations: Contact the customer to verify the transactions, ensuring they are not
unauthorized.