Executives See Business Intelligence Emerging as Crucial Competitive Advantage

Monday April 11, 10:00 am ET
Research Study Demonstrates Keen Interest in Using Business Intelligence to Revolutionize Decision-Making Processes
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2005--Business intelligence capabilities and analytic prowess will play crucial roles in the most competitive sectors of the global economy, according to a new study by the director of research for Babson Executive Education (BEE) at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. But an organization's efforts to develop fact-based decision-making capabilities are likely to fail unless they are closely supported by top management, the survey showed.

"We have reached a critical juncture in the history of global competition," said Professor Tom Davenport, president's distinguished professor in the Information Technology Management Division of Babson. "After years of fitful progress, leading firms have begun basing their competitive strategies on the sophisticated analysis of business data."
Davenport cited progress at organizations such as Capital One, Harrah's Entertainment, Dreyfus, Marriott, Procter & Gamble, Verizon and the NFL's New England Patriots as clear signs of an accelerating trend toward greater reliance on analytic processes and technologies.
"Many companies today use business intelligence for specific applications, but these initiatives are usually too narrow to affect corporate performance," Davenport said. "The organizations we surveyed, however, are building broad capabilities for enterprise-level business analytics and intelligence. Their capabilities go well beyond data and technology to address the processes, skills and cultures of their organizations. These strategies are driven by CEOs and senior executives who insist on fact-based decisions throughout their businesses."

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