Johannesburg, 23 Nov 2009
Data warehouses became a distinct type of computer base in the late 1980s to meet the growing demand for information management. However, over the years, the concept has evolved through numerous fundamental stages, ranging from operational to real-time integrated systems, not only to manage the growing amount of information organisations accumulate over time, but to minimise risk due to the increasing competitive nature of business.
In fact, the demands being placed on businesses today, whether public or private, have certainly increased tenfold - creating an escalating need to obtain the right information from the right place, and more importantly, at the right time.
As the business landscape becomes progressively complex, and risks continue to present themselves in one form or another (most recently the economic recession), managers and CEOs not only want to, but need to know more about their businesses, customers and competitors to compete effectively.
Such pertinent knowledge is obtained through effectively analysing and using information that resides in an organisation's data warehouse - which certainly, emphasises the importance of implementing and using such an information management system. In fact, it is through the implementation of solutions like business intelligence (BI), within the data warehouse, that the crucial information needed to remain competitive can be extracted and used. As such, organisations should look to integrate and assimilate data across a converged platform and implement a BI solution to ensure that information collected can and is used to the organisation's advantage.
A BI solution offers an organisation more than just data integration, but rather the ability to turn information into a useful asset, from identifying and reacting to problems, to anticipating opportunities within and outside the organisation - all aspects that ensure innovation is always top of mind and that dynamic market conditions are easily adhered to.
Additionally, a BI solution can help an organisation determine areas within the business that are under-performing, as well as where critical problems lie and essentially, provide the necessary information to the relevant parties involved to mitigate risk, ensuring individual roles can be properly implemented and managed. Furthermore, during difficult economic uncertainties, organisations have to make crucial business decisions as to where can they cut costs, reduce potential threats or where to increase profitability or productivity. This can be achieved through using proper, timely integrated accurate information - exactly what one can expect from a BI system running against the organisation's data warehouse.
While such benefits are great for the private sector, a correctly implemented BI solution extracting key information from an existing data warehouse can also prove very beneficial for the public sector. Having access to the correct information when required can provide executives, administrators, managers, outside contractors, and even individual citizens with the crucial information necessary to perform their jobs and make decisions more effectively. By adopting data warehouse and BI strategies, similar to those used by corporations, governments can enhance service delivery for their citizens while improving efficiency, effectiveness and government-to-citizen communication.
Although times are tough and cost optimisation across industries is essential, it is important to remember that the economic climate will turn, and when it does, public and private organisations should be ready to go full steam ahead. Remember, businesses achieve organisational excellence and in the long-term, sustainability, when services promised are effectively produced. Investment in a BI solution within a solid data warehouse allows organisations to achieve this, during good times and bad.
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