IT and Business Intelligence - IBM Cognos - Case Study Example

IT FOR BUSINESS IT for Business Author Author’s Affiliation Date Table of Contents IT FOR BUSINESS 1 IT for Business 1 Table of Contents 2 1- Overview 4 2- Introduction to IBM’s COGNOS 5 2.1- What are the features of the system? 6 2.2- What Industries can these be applied to? Can it also be applied to your chosen Industry/Company? 7 2.3- What AREAS of BUSINESS PROCESSES / ACTIVITIES can that be applied? (e.g. Manufacturing, 7 Merchandising, Marketing, HR, Customer Relationship Management, Finance) 7 2.4- How does its implementation IMPROVE those PROCESSES? (Give real-world examples) 8 How does it IMPROVE Decision Making and Problem Solving? 8 2.5- What meaningful Business REPORTS can it produce? (e.g. Scheduled Reports, Key Indicator Reports, Demand Reports, Exception Reports) 8 2.6- How does it enhance business MONITORING? 9 2.7- Can it shorten LEAD TIMES? 9 2.8- Does it LOWER COSTS? 9 2.9- Can it access reliable CORPORATE information ANYTIME? 10 2.10- What are the costs of Buying and IMPLEMENTING the SYSTEM? 10 2.11- And Finally, WILL IT PUT THE EMPLOYEES ON THE SAME PAGE? 10 3- Introduction to Micros’s Micros Fidelio, or Opera 10 3.1- What are the features of the system? 11 3.2- What Industries can these be applied to? Can it also be applied to your chosen Industry/Company? 11 3.3- What AREAS of BUSINESS PROCESSES / ACTIVITIES can that be applied? (e.g. Manufacturing, Merchandising, Marketing, HR, Customer Relationship Management, Finance) 12 3.4- How does its implementation IMPROVE those PROCESSES? (Give real-world examples) 12 3.5- How does it IMPROVE Decision Making and Problem Solving? 13 3.6- What meaningful Business REPORTS can it produce? (e.g. Scheduled Reports, Key Indicator Reports, Demand Reports, Exception Reports) 13 3.7- How does it enhance business MONITORING? 13 3.8- Can it shorten LEAD TIMES? 14 3.9- Does it LOWER COST? 14 3.10- Can it access reliable CORPORATE information ANYTIME? 14 3.11- WILL IT PUT THE EMPLOYEES ON THE SAME PAGE? 15 4- Comparison MATRIX 15 5- Recommendations 16 6- Conclusion 16 7- Reference 17 Bibliography 17 1- Overview The information technologies in business solutions are widely available and reasonable for businesses together for large and small companies. At the present, one of the fundamental objectives of any company is the effectiveness of business processes or business procedures. Thus, the process of business engineering is performed to attain it. Presently organizations have a lot of business IT and Business Intelligence (BI) technologies those are able to facilitate the companies to help optimize their corporate operations as well as business developments. Its practice makes the circumstances, events and systems intended for creating quality information plus business knowledge to enhance business performance. IT and business management technology is the main factor of implementation ad development of business process change, which as well influences the development and improvements of the company’s operational areas through new technology based information systems that should offer the data required in business processes. Nowadays companies employ customer monument system, business supply chain management systems, order processing systems, business intelligence technology, etc to facilitate business operating, enhanced business processes and examine every feature of their data to recognize business operation as well as identify, examine, analyze as well as enhance business procedures plus lastly progress business performance (Curko, Varga, & Loncar, 2008). This report is going to offer a detailed analysis of the Pizza Hut business and its new business management technology implementation analysis. In this scenario this report is going to analyze the two well known technology platforms. For this purpose I have selected to assess and analyze the IBM’s COGNOS and Micros’s Micros Fidelio, or Opera. The main intention of this research is to present the most appropriate technology platform for the Pizza Hut business. 2- Introduction to IBM’s COGNOS The first tool I have selected is IBM Cognos. IBM Cognos is very effective business performance management software that offers competitive advantage and insights to entertainment and hospitality businesses globally. IBM Cognos offers a wide variety of facilities and performances such as business intelligence, reporting and business analysis. IBM Cognos presents the broadest reporting exposure in the business. IBM Cognos offers facility to develop business financial statements, territory sales reports, location performance reports and lot of more business details. The present package of IBM Cognos is 8.4 that composed of 2 main packages. One package comprises IBM Cognos 8 BI PowerPlay plus the additional package includes all IBM Cognos 8 BI components except IBM Cognos PowerPlay (IBM-Cognos, 2010). This novel characteristic guide is intended for the latter package. The latest characteristic and features in IBM Cognos 8.4 BI offers benefits to company managers as well as analysts, report authors, business modelers and system administrators. Every studio comprise an innovative feature intended for suppressing rows and columns that missing values, hold zero values, or overflow values (IBM-Cognos, 2010). IBM Cognos system is developed in cooperation with end users as well as performance management specialists. IBM Cognos Performance designs are pre-defined data, procedures and policy models that tackle a number of practical process areas as well as the requirements of precise industries. IBM Cognos offers the ways intended for forging additional efficient, active connections between strategy as well as its execution. In addition, by using IBM Cognos business management system we are able to get following facilities (IBM-1, 2010): Coordinate planning: IBM Cognos offers facility for operational and financial services. In addition, IBM Cognos offers quality of adapting rapidly by means of enhanced forecast dependability plus resource allocation. Deploy quickly: IBM Cognos offers enhanced facility of quick integration through dynamic planning procedure Reduce risk: IBM Cognos presents reduced risk through reorganized project implementation Responding to altering business consitions: IBM Cognos offers support and alignment to the strategic operational plans, objectives, activities and people Reduce total cost of ownership: IBM Cognos also offers reduced cost of ownership 2.1- What are the features of the system? IBM Cognos system offers facility to track performance against main business milestones like that same store staff turnover, sales as well as high season bookings. Additionally, the IBM Cognos system offers the facility to produce main performance indicators intended for performance of a specific product line, country or promotional package. They also facilitate in examining company sales performance foundational upon menu selection, customer turnover, staffing and time of year. IBM Cognos is really efficient in linking the entire performance indicator to form our annual business policies (IBM-2, 2010). 2.2- What Industries can these be applied to? Can it also be applied to your chosen Industry/Company? IBM Cognos system offers a lot of facilities for business and its performance handling system offer approaching as well as competitive benefit to entertainment and hospitality corporations worldwide. This business system is specific for the entertainment and hospitality corporations for offering the facilities such as enhanced reporting, business intelligence and corporate analysis. IBM Cognos presents the broad reporting exposure in the entertainment and hospitality industry. It constructs location performance reports, financial statements, territory sales reports as well as a lot more. This system is used to assess entertainment and Hospitality Company’s performance. This system is able to assess whether to continue, launch or terminate a product or promotion. This system recognizes top managers, performing products and events. It also permits self-service ad hoc reporting intended for client all through the company. IBM Cognos share information by main business partners along with suppliers in the course of a business intelligent extranet (IBM-2, 2010). 2.3- What AREAS of BUSINESS PROCESSES / ACTIVITIES can that be applied? (e.g. Manufacturing, Merchandising, Marketing, HR, Customer Relationship Management, Finance) Cognos is a global leader in performance management, business intelligence, enterprise risk management, data integration, analytics software, OLAP reporting, retail performance management, bank branch profitability, customer profitability, supply chain visibility, balanced score carding and Oracle business intelligence intended for the corporate (Congos-2 , 2010). 2.4- How does its implementation IMPROVE those PROCESSES? (Give real-world examples) How does it IMPROVE Decision Making and Problem Solving? SCA Packaging Europe’s Business Intelligence and Data Warehouse Coordinator Eddy Coose stated that we are pleased with the IBM Cognos 8 business intelligence performance that facilitates us delivers better, quicker as well as more cost-efficient business management information." SCA Packaging representative stated that IBM presented the most excellent tool intended for accessing, consolidating plus analyzing data; and intended for viewing information through department as well as through role (SCA , 2010) 2.5- What meaningful Business REPORTS can it produce? (e.g. Scheduled Reports, Key Indicator Reports, Demand Reports, Exception Reports) IBM Cognos presents the most wide-ranging reporting exposure in the business and corporate environment. Here we have all common types of reports however some main wide ranging reports are outlined below (IBM-2, 2010). Build financial statements Location performance reports Territory sales reports 2.6- How does it enhance business MONITORING? IBM Cognos offers real-time monitoring that is a main performance indicators as well as operational metrics as of different data sources. In addition, efficiently monitoring and organizing service level agreements on an hourly as well as daily basis are a load faced by the common client service organizations (Cognos-3, 2010) & (Cognos-4, 2010). 2.7- Can it shorten LEAD TIMES? Shorten LEAD TIMES and On-Time deliveries both are very important characteristics of the IBM Cognos. IBM Cognos offers facility to observe on-time delivery as well as order fill rate percentages permits us to flag negative trends and facilitate quicker customer service responses. It as well offers sales through information to resolve potential matters before they go on customer calls (Cognos-5, 2010). 2.8- Does it LOWER COSTS? Cognos has offered concerted attempt to reduce prices through implementing a hiring freeze as well as cutting back on resources costs. IBM Cognos main objective is to up-hold high revenues by means of the similar resources (Referenceforbusiness, 2009). 2.9- Can it access reliable CORPORATE information ANYTIME? Michael Potter the chairman of Cognos business has stated that new Cognos system has offered the extended qualities for the sales representative for the online access to client information. It is stated that through tailoring Cognos software according to the customer requirements, now it facilitates the computer users to have access to the databases of other computers on the network (Referenceforbusiness, 2009). 2.10- What are the costs of Buying and IMPLEMENTING the SYSTEM? The overall cost of the IBM Cognos for its ownership and implementation is about $100,000 (Greenberg, 2008). 2.11- And Finally, WILL IT PUT THE EMPLOYEES ON THE SAME PAGE? The IBM’s Cognos offer enhanced support for business staff regarding effective and enhanced management of all business aspects and areas. In addition, this tool offers better management and handing support for all business staff and personnel. 3- Introduction to Micros’s Micros Fidelio, or Opera The MICROS 9700 HMS (or Hospitality Management System) presents the eventual event management as well as point-of-service solution intended for fast-paced and high-volume environments. The MICROS Hospitality Management System unites modern, advanced technology and security in a group of user-friendly tools that create even the most difficult operations to execute more easily as well as efficiently. The MICROS Hospitality Management System offers business functionality relations, back office optional support, front-end transaction processing, functionality and fan/guest managing and facilities to allow us for the enhanced management operations, augment employee efficiency as well as develop customer service. Furthermore, it carries the business intelligence required to formulate sensible, well-informed company assessments and decisions (Micros-1, 2010). 3.1- What are the features of the system? Micros Fidelio, or Opera is able to offer advantages regarding the two main areas: financial and operational. Initially the system has facilitated to increase revenue through growing average company ticket. This happens mainly due to the intuitive nature and qualities of the system as well as the way it leads staff in the course of the selling process, as well to the capability to incentivize individual team associates all-through the utilize of comprehensive worker performance reporting (Micros-2, 2010). 3.2- What Industries can these be applied to? Can it also be applied to your chosen Industry/Company? This system is a Hospitality Management System that is only for the handling and management of the Hospitality and Entertainment business. In- Hospitality and Entertainment business, Micros Fidelio, or Opera is able to offer a completely connected network of Point of Sale terminals intended for order entry, optimized intended for rapidity of utilize plus suggestive up selling. This system facilitate through the a set of the Kitchen Display monitors to handle order making in the kitchen. This system is also able to offer refined cash as well as dispatch of orders arrangement for the delivery as well as driver selection. Here we also have the facility of the order batching as well as route planning advantages. This system is able to offer control plus reporting communications that present the more enhanced business intelligence to business, local as well as store managers (OPERA , 2010). 3.3- What AREAS of BUSINESS PROCESSES / ACTIVITIES can that be applied? (e.g. Manufacturing, Merchandising, Marketing, HR, Customer Relationship Management, Finance) Micros Fidelio, or Opera offers facility regarding the following business and corporate areas (Testi, 2008): Reporting Scheduling Staff Management Management Control Labor Scheduling Order Flow Management Decision Support 3.4- How does its implementation IMPROVE those PROCESSES? (Give real-world examples) In this scenario I will present the example of the Pizza Hut business that has attained enhanced business performance and operational support through the implementation of the Micros HMS platform. In this scenario they are able to have less delivery and information processing time. This all lead to enhanced business revenue and customer confidence. 3.5- How does it IMPROVE Decision Making and Problem Solving? Micros HMS platform is able to offer effective management decision-making and a great deal of increased transparency of what is occurring through stocks- food as well as consumables- in each business department. Here management is having more deeper and detailed insight regarding the business operations and working areas (Microfocus, 2010). 3.6- What meaningful Business REPORTS can it produce? (e.g. Scheduled Reports, Key Indicator Reports, Demand Reports, Exception Reports) Here are some of main types of reports available through the Micros HMS platform (MICROS -4, 2010): Detailed staff performance reporting Real- time reports Managers information reporting Store operational reporting Budget report Sales performance Staff costs 3.7- How does it enhance business MONITORING? Micros HMS platform offers enhanced support and facility for the real time monitoring how sales are trending as well as how employees are being allocated (MICROS-5, 2010). 3.8- Can it shorten LEAD TIMES? Micros HMS platform is able to process and manage the overall processes for the on time delivery of products and services. In this scenario this system is able to offer onetime handling and management of all possible business tasks and operations. This all lead to more enhanced shorten lead time (MICROS-5, 2010).. 3.9- Does it LOWER COST? Micros HMS technology system offers facility and performance in two ways. One approach is through its offered enhanced management and planning of order processing and handling. Here as compared to manual way of order dispatching and processing this system offers more enhanced order management and handling that potentially lead to overall lower cost of business processing and handling (MICROS-5, 2010).. On the other hand another of way of cost reduction in the MICROS systems the is lower hardware maintenance costs. MICROS technology platform employs the Microsoft CE. NET Operating System intended for the entire order entry terminals as well as kitchen display Monitors. Through less expensive hardware and operating software cost this system able to offer more enhanced business and operational performance (MICROS-5, 2010).. 3.10- Can it access reliable CORPORATE information ANYTIME? MICROS system screen is able to facilitate the large operations and working facilities. Here this system offers transactions information assessment through speedily and flagging up strategic information. Here biggest advantage of this application regarding anytime and reliable information access is possible through the password- controlled access to enterprise information by means of web based application portal. In this scenario this application is available all trough the world to the business personals and they able to access information any time (MICROS-5, 2010).. 3.11- WILL IT PUT THE EMPLOYEES ON THE SAME PAGE? This system is having enhanced staff operational support. In this scenario this system is able to offer rapid response to staff scheduling and operational support. This system also offers better support for the handling and management of the overall staff working schedule. Here we also have facility of the detailed employee performance reporting (MICROS-5, 2010). 4- Comparison MATRIX No. Quality Factor IBM’s COGNOS Micros’s Micros Fidelio, or Opera 1 Performance Effective Effective 2 Operational Support High High 3 Working Power Highly suitable for large business Effective for small to medium businesses 4 Customization Support Medium High 5 Cost High Low 6 Business Support High High 7 Hospitality Business Alignment Medium High 8 Complicity High Low 9 Market Support High Medium 10 Versatility High High 5- Recommendations In this report I have presented a detailed analysis of some of the main aspects of the Micros’s Micros Fidelio, or Opera and IBM’s COGNOS for the hospitality and entertainment business areas. In this scenario I have analyzed some of main aspects and feature of these technology platforms. This report show that both technology based system are more effective and efficient for the hospitality and entertainment business. However it is also assessed that IBM’s COGNOS is well suited for the high class and large business structures. Here I have also analyzed that Micros’s Micros Fidelio, or Opera business suit is well suited for the small and medium business. In scenario I will suggest the IBM’s COGNOS for the Pizza Hut business for its enhanced business support and working performance. This system is suggested by seeing the Pizza Hut business size and working structure. 6- Conclusion In present extremely competitive economic environment containing the right IT in business is a vital constituent of corporate success. Every business deals with a number of novel technologies whether it is simply a fundamental computer system or extremely refined software to track sales from the time the primary contact is established until they close. Discovery of the accurate IT personnel or business to offer the right systems is not as hard as it can initially appear. The enhancement of business processes is a significant objective of each company. So as to augment efficiency and achieve competitive advantage, business, at the similar way as it handles its resources as well as financial outcome has to proficiently manage its own procedures. The newly appeared business conditions need constant transformation of the business procedures as well as organizational structure to attain each aspect of success. In other words, the victory of the business refers to associations with business associates, to the development of the quality of services and products, to the minimization in costs and minimizing the delivery times, as well as to enhancement of its procedures, resulting increased profit as simultaneously diminishing the whole costs. (Curko, Varga, & Loncar, 2008). This report has provided the analysis of approximately all aspects of two Micros’s Micros Fidelio, or Opera and IBM’s COGNOS systems for the hospitality and entertainment business areas. I have suggested the IBM’s COGNOS system for the implementation at the Pizza Hut business and its overall global business network. 7- Reference Bibliography Cognos-3. (2010). Cognos Now! Retrieved 09 30, 2010, from http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/products/now/sla-monitoring.html Cognos-4. (2010). Real-time monitoring for time-sensitive KPIs and operational metrics. Retrieved 09 30, 2010, from http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/products/now/ Cognos-5. (2010). Cognos solutions for customer service. Retrieved 09 28, 2010, from On-time delivery: http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/solutions/customer-service/on-time-delivery.html Congos-2 . (2010). Cognos Business Performance Management Solutions. Retrieved 09 29, 2010, from http://www.business-software.com/business-intelligence-solutions/business-performance-management/cognos.php Curko, K., Varga, M., & Loncar, A. (2008). The support of Business Intelligence Technology in Process and Business Engineering. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF COMPUTERS Volume 2, Issue 1 , 8-14. Greenberg, D. (2008). TM1 or Cognos? . Retrieved 09 23, 2010, from http://businessintelligence.ittoolbox.com/groups/vendor-selection/bi-select/tm1-or-cognos-2300576 IBM-1. (2010). Innovation Center. Retrieved 09 26, 2010, from http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/innovation-center/blueprints/ IBM-2. (2010). Cognos solutions for hospitality and entertainment. Retrieved 09 29, 2010, from http://www-01.ibm.com/software/data/cognos/solutions/hospitality-entertainment/ IBM-Cognos. (2010). IBM® Cognos® 8 Business Intelligence. Retrieved 09 23, 2010, from http://drhamadani.org/images/books/cognos8.pdf Microfocus. (2010). Ramada Express. Retrieved 10 02, 2010, from http://www.microfocus.com/000/RamadaExpress_tcm21-4138.pdf MICROS -4. (2010). MICROS 3700. Retrieved 09 30, 2010, from http://www.micros.com/Products/MICROS3700/ Micros-1. (2010). Restaurant Point of Sale Systems. Retrieved 09 23, 2010, from http://www..com/industries/restaurant-pos-systems.htm Micros-2. (2010). Hotel Property Management Systems and Point of Sale Solutions. Retrieved 09 26, 2010, from http://www.micros.com/industries/hotel-management-system.htm MICROS-5. (2010). MICROS. Retrieved 09 28, 2010, from http://www.dcrs.com/pics/db/document_library/000054.pdf OPERA . (2010). OPERA Property Management Software. Retrieved 10 1, 2010, from http://www.micros.com/Products/OPERA/property-management.htm Referenceforbusiness. (2009). Cognos Inc. - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Cognos Inc. Retrieved 09 27, 2010, from http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/1/Cognos-Inc.html SCA . (2010). SCA Packaging gains more detailed insight into business performance, helping them deliver better value to customers. Retrieved 09 28, 2010, from http://www-01.ibm.com/software/success/cssdb.nsf/cs/ABRR-89CGGU?OpenDocument&Site=cognos&cty=en_us Testi, M. (2008). Software Review: Poser Pro From Smith Micro. Retrieved 10 02, 2010, from http://blogcritics.org/scitech/article/software-review-poser-pro-from-smith/ Read More