knowledge management represents accessing and using information existing within the firm, then it must be complemented with so-called “business intelligence” representing other information existing in the firm’s environment. And neither of them is worth much unless supplemented with the kind of deep understanding embodied in what are called “business analytics”. The nature of these tools, and their ties to the underlying information to which they are applied, are the subject of much current business interest. In this case, we take a look at some of the attitudes and ideas about analytics and business intelligence in light of the general problems of knowledgemanagement. A good place to start would be this general review of the issues of analytics and their application:
Staples, S. (2009). Analytics: Unlocking value in business intelligence (BI) initiatives. CIO. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www.cio.com/article/489257/Analytics_Unlocking_Value_in_Business_Intelligence_BI_Initiatives
A few years ago, Tom Davenport, one of the chief gurus of knowledge management, wrote a piece entitled “Competing with Analytics”, arguing that businesses could develop serious competitive advantage by understanding their information better. This has not really developed according to plan, as the second source here notes. Please review these two points of view of the basis for what follows:
Davenport, T.H., & Harris, J. G. (2006) Competing with analytics, Harvard Business Review . Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://download.microsoft.com/documents/uk/peopleready/Competing%20on%20Analytics.pdf
Samild, S. (2011) Tom Davenport: Why aren?t most organisations competing on analytics? Analyst First. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://analystfirst.com/2011/09/02/1001/tom-davenport-why-aren%E2%80%99t-most-organisations-competing-on-analytics/
One reason, of course, is that the world keeps changing, both in terms of business realities and technological possibilities. The Gartner Group is one of the consulting firms most known for trying to keep up with trends; here is their latest take on what’s going on in the knowledge management area (just listen to the recording; you don’t need to pay money to download their actual report):
Gartner Group (2011) Gartner Predicts 2012. Talking Technology Series. Retrieved December 2, 2011, from http://www.gartner.com/technology/research/predicts/
When you’ve had a chance to read and listen to this material and perhaps review information from the background readings and research other sources on your own, please prepare a 3 page paper on the topic:
?Current business and technology conditions that complicate effective application of business analytics to business intelligence and knowledge management data, and the prospects for improvement?
