Journal of Systems and Information Technology

Baur, Aaron Wolfgang ; Bühler, Julian ; Bick, Markus

2015 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/JSIT-03-2015-0024

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the development of software pricing, following the advent of cloud-based business intelligence & analytics (BI & A) Software. A value-based conceptual software model is developed to ignite and structure further research. Design/methodology/approach – A two-step research approach is applied. In step one, the available literature is screened and evaluated, and this is followed by ten semi-structured expert interviews. With that input, a conceptual software pricing model is designed. In step two, this model is validated and refined through discussions with representatives of the five leading business intelligence suites. Findings – The paper sheds light on the value perception of customers and suggests a clear focus on the interaction between customers and vendors, and less on technical issues. The developed customer-centric, value-based pricing framework helps to improve pricing techniques and strategies. Research limitations/implications – The research is focused on the pricing strategy of software houses and excludes differentiations of technical specifications and functionalities. Practical implications – The research can support practitioners in the field of BI & A in rethinking their pricing methods. Placing the customer at center stage can lead to lower customer churn rates, higher customer satisfaction and more pricing flexibility. Originality/value – This empirical study reveals the importance of a customer-centric pricing approach in the specific case of BI & A. It can also be applied to other fast-developing sectors of the software industry.

Harrison, Ronda ; Parker, Angelique ; Brosas, Gabrielle ; Chiong, Raymond ; Tian, Xuemei

2015 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/JSIT-04-2015-0030

Purpose – This paper aims to provide an introductory overview of internal business intelligence (BI) and the role that technology plays in its management and exploitation. BI represents the tools and systems that play a key role in the strategic planning process of a corporation, allowing the integration of applications, databases, software and hardware essential to users and enabling the analysis of information to optimise decision-making. Design/methodology/approach – In reviewing the existing literature, this paper examines the core components, current trends and operational issues of a typical internal BI system architecture. The implications of these trends and their effects on business processes and culture are also explored. Findings – The successful implementation of an internal BI system should include the core components and address operational issues, whilst also providing meaningful output to the organisation. It is contended, however, that to be truly successful, the internal BI system must be embedded within organisational processes and be adaptable to changing technologies, allowing the exploitation of the organisation’s internal BI. Originality/value – This general review is the first to provide a high-level overview of internal BI and explores the role of technology in the management and exploitation of internal BI.

Arefin, Md. Shamsul ; Hoque, Md Rakibul ; Bao, Yukun

2015 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/JSIT-09-2014-0067

Purpose – The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of organizational strategy, structure, process and culture on organizational effectiveness and the possible mediating role of business intelligence (BI) systems among them. Design/methodology/approach – Sample data for this study were collected from 225 organizational units in Bangladesh and analyzed using the partial least squares method, a statistical analysis technique based on the structural equation modeling. Findings – The results revealed that organizational factors, such as organizational strategy, structure, process, and culture positively affect both BI systems’ effectiveness and organizational effectiveness. Furthermore, BI systems’ effectiveness partially mediates the impact of organizational strategy, structure, process and culture on organizational effectiveness. Originality/value – BI systems are context-specific and can influence organizational effectiveness. Dearth in research on the influence of organizational factors to BI systems motivates this study to contribute in BI systems literature by proposing a theoretical model and investigating the mediating role of BI systems among various organizational factors and organizational effectiveness.

Cahyadi, Amelia ; Prananto, Adi

2015 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/JSIT-03-2015-0018

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the complexities in dashboard design process. Design/methodology/approach – The authors chose case study research, following Benbasat et al. (2002) who argued that it is suitable for information system research, as researchers could perform the study in the organisation as a natural setting. As a result, the authors could learn and generate insights from practice. Another reason was mainly as the phenomenon being studied cannot be taken away from its context (Yin, 2003). In addition, through case study, the authors aim to achieve a deeper understanding and richer descriptions on the subject of research in a “real-world context” (Yin, 2012). In addition, it aims to understand the intricacy of the processes going on in the organisation by focusing more towards organisational rather than the technological issues (Benbasat et al. , 1987). Findings – Through research, the authors highlighted that it is important to align the dashboard design with the organisation’s visions and goals. This creates a more persuasive rationale for adoption amongst the users, as they could use the dashboard as a means to assist them in achieving the vision and goals of the organisation. More importantly, the analysis clearly indicates the need to consider the creation of a dashboard as a holistic exercise. The intricate processes of designing a dashboard are often underestimated. Instead of focusing into a specific aspect (such as user interface or functionality) of designing dashboards, the authors should look into the multi-faceted aspects in designing an effective dashboard. Research limitations/implications – This paper articulates the findings from a single case study. However, arguably, the results of this study are transferable to other entities responsible for designing business intelligence (BI) and business analytics dashboards. Research on dashboard design and the use of design thinking across different type organisations is currently ongoing to allow for cross-case analyses. Practical implications – The study has determined that interdisciplinary and cross-functional group communications play a significant role in designing a dashboard. The ability to collaborate with “data owners”, would be dashboard users, managers of the technical infrastructure, and process owners leads to a workable and effective dashboard. In this sense, design thinking could be used and/or regarded as a holistic, creative and solutions-oriented framework. Originality/value – With an increasing interest on BI and business analytics, dashboards have an increasingly pivotal role in providing a summary of data for business users. The literature review shows in designing a dashboard; there is much emphasis on the graphical user interface and in providing features and functionalities for the dashboards. This paper presents a case study outlining the key considerations of a team in charge of business analytics and dashboard creations for a university. Through the case study analysis, the authors explore the key aspects that influence a dashboard design and analyse the design processes using the concept of design thinking as the theoretical framework.

Boyton, Janelle ; Ayscough, Peter ; Kaveri, David ; Chiong, Raymond

2015 Journal of Systems and Information Technology

doi: 10.1108/JSIT-03-2015-0023

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the failures of business intelligence (BI) implementations and to understand why they fail as well as what action can be taken to ensure implementation success. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on a literature review of academic journals and case studies relating to BI, and the success and failure of the implementation of such projects. It focuses on four areas of BI projects to measure success: return on investment, non-concrete measures, project management measures and user satisfaction. The literature provides insights into what factors contribute to the success of a BI implementation and what factors contribute to the failure. Once the failures can be ascertained, a strategic approach to remedying the failure is discussed. Findings – Implementation failure specifically relating to BI is a rarely discussed topic. This paper provides an understanding of why BI implementations fail and how organisations can ensure, prior to implementing such a solution, the considerations that need to be made to ensure that success is achieved from a technological, organisational and process perspective. Originality/value – The paper uses empirical evidence from the literature to provide an understanding of why BI implementations fail. The factors contributing to BI failure are examined along with insights into how to succeed with a BI implementation.