by admin on February 5, 2009
Probably one of the most annoying things I have to deal with in business is that people never question the status quo. It doesn’t matter what business it is. I doesn’t even matter if its something that applies to how I do things, that I have become set in my ways on. It is rare when people just ask questions or apply some critical analysis to the things right in front of them.
The NBA is the perfect example. So many things are the way they are, because thats the way they always have been. I guess it was the old adage, “if it’s not broke, don’t not fix it”. But not being broken, doesn’t mean its optimal. Yet, just the smallest bit of critical analysis can lead to changes. Fortunately, the NBA is evolving into an organization that will change. There is a new management style that has evolved over the past few years, which has lead to valid changes initiated by me and others which I think have benefited the league and our fans.
by admin on February 2, 2009
Join SAP, IDC, and ABM for an important Webcast that demonstrates why more and more CFOs are moving from manual profitability reporting to automated solutions.
New Tools for a New Economy
In today’s challenging economic climate, CFOs recognize that manual profitability reporting solutions simply aren’t fast or accurate enough to support critical management decisions.
But in the past, automated transactional costing solutions have been difficult to implement and manage.
Now, a new generation of profitability reporting solutions makes transactional costing fast, affordable, and compelling. And you can learn about these solutions at this very special Webcast for CFOs and senior managers.
Control Every Detail Like Never Before
During this online presentation, you’ll discover how your organization can transform its financial performance through transactional costing. For example, you’ll learn how to:
• Calculate profitability for high volumes of
customer accounts, SKUs, or sales order lines
• Calculate activity unit rates for each cost
object combination
• Produce accurate, actionable cost analyses —
on demand
• Transform budgeting, planning, and forecasting
• Control shared service costs
• Link strategic objectives, KPIs, targets, and
initiatives to operational metrics
Plus, you’ll see how a transactional costing solution can be implemented in a shorter time — and at a lower total cost — than you ever thought possible.
Register Now — Free
There is no cost to attend this event, but you must register in advance. Registered attendees will receive a complimentary IDC whitepaper, The Profitability Perspective: How Automated Reporting Drives Better Decisions. Don’t miss this chance to dramatically improve your company’s financial performance.
by admin on January 26, 2009
by admin on January 26, 2009
by admin on January 26, 2009
Can your business actually benefit from a tough economy? Absolutely - with proper preparation, strategic focus and the careful application of Business Intelligence.
When: Thursday, February 12, 2009 at the Westin Hotel in Southfield, MI from 8:30 to 10:30AM EST. Breakfast will be served.
Who Should Attend?
This seminar is geared toward IT and business professionals at small, midsize and enterprise companies who rely on Business Intelligence to provide insight into their day-to-day operations and to make informed decisions.
What You’ll Learn:
You’ll learn how to become a faster, leaner, more agile business and we’ll explore how you can become a best-run business using Business Intelligence focused on three core strategic goals:
Cut operating expenses and discretionary spending
Use technology to eliminate inefficiencies
Give first priority to your existing customers
Learn what will have the greatest impact on your business and what you can do today to keep your business prospering through this recession – even as others struggle to survive.
How To Register:
To register, please click on the following link:
http://events.businessobjects.com/forms/Q109/road/sap/reg/index.php?partner=wit&evt=&source=MMAM_sap
by admin on January 26, 2009
Business leaders today often struggle to understand the complex world of data management. They constantly find themselves talking with their IT groups about how to get access to critical data. In turn, IT departments struggle with communicating the need for funding data infrastructure initiatives in the enterprise.
This webinar is designed to show organizations how to bridge the gap between business leaders and IT professionals to create a common language for creating accessible critical information.
When: Tuesday, February 17, 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 a.m. Pacific
Who Should Attend?
Business professionals who want to better understand IT’s data initiatives or who are faced with a request for funds related to a data management initiative
IT profesionals who want to better communicate the business value of a data warehouse
What You’ll Learn:
Jared Hillam, CSI’s Vice President of Business Intelligence, will address basic questions to demystify the data warehouse:
Where does the data come from
What is the business problem that the data warehouse is solving
How to avoid the pitfalls of perceived savings apparent in a short-term approach
What tools are used and what does each do
How To Register:
To register, please click on the following link:
http://www.csiwhq.com/Knowledge_Center/EventForm.aspx?EventID=63
by admin on January 25, 2009
by admin on January 22, 2009
Most organizations today are stuck in the adolescent phase of business intelligence (BI). They’ve built a data warehouse, purchased some BI tools, and seen some uptake by end users. However, the status of their BI program is anything but certain.
If you remember correctly from your youth, adolescence was both an exciting and a painful time, full of change, transition, and surprises. Every step forward was tentative, and you experienced as many setbacks as victories. The same is true for companies in the midst of BI adolescence. If your BI program exhibits any of the following symptoms, it’s a good chance you are mired in the adolescent phase of BI:
Your BI team moves perpetually from one crisis to the next instead of adding functionality to meet user requirements.
You have to plead continually with executives to not cut or eliminate the BI budget.
Usage of the BI environment peaked several months after deployment and continues to decline.
The number of spreadmarts, independent data marts, and other data warehouses with redundant and inconsistent data definitions keeps increasing instead of decreasing.
Users keep asking your team to create custom reports even though the organization recently purchased a “self-service” BI tool.
Executives still believe BI is a tool, not a strategic information resource to drive the organization in the right direction.
Query performance degrades significantly as more users use the system, but executives aren’t likely to pay for a platform upgrade.
The Gulf and the Chasm
If your team is experiencing any of these symptoms, you are not alone. Most organizations are stuck BI adolescence. They spend more time reacting to problems and “fighting fires” than adding new functionality and delivering lasting business value.
This dilemma is depicted by TDWI’s BI Maturity Model, shown in Exhibit One. The bell shaped curve indicates that the majority of organizations are in the Child and Teenage phases of BI evolution.
