Business Information Visualization: A Visual Intelligence-Based Framework

Business Intelligence aims to improve decision quality. Research on BI achieving this goal is inconclusive, yet BI is still one of the top priorities among CIOs and is an active IS research area. A better understanding of the relationship between human intelligence and BI capabilities may lead to more fruitful BI endeavors. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that links capabilities of Business Information Visualization, a key modern BI enabler, to non-verbal (visual) intelligence abilities, and suggests propositional guidelines of how BI could improve decision making by impacting these intelligence abilities. The paper demonstrates that there is strong research support to suggest such linkages. Better understanding of what human abilities are important for better decisions, and what specific BI capabilities are needed to support these abilities will help improve the design, deployment, and utilization of BI tools, and, hopefully ultimately, achieve more efficient and effective business decisions

Defining and Conceptualizing Actionable Insight: A Conceptual Framework for Decision-centric Analytics

Despite actionable insight being widely recognized as the outcome of data analytics, there is a lack of a systematic and commonly-agreed definition for the term. More importantly, existing definitions are generally too abstract for informing the design of data analytics systems. This study proposes a definition of actionable insight as a multi-component concept comprising analytic insight, synergic insight, and prognostic insights. This definition is informed by a conceptual framework, which also can be used to systematically understand actionable insight, both at the concept-level and component-level. Each component is explained from the analytical, cognitive, and computational perspectives and relevant design considerations are suggested. We hope this study could be a rudimentary step toward the realization of decision-centric data analytics that can deliver the promised actionable insight

An Investigation of the Character Traits of Decision-Makers Open to Intuition as a Tool

The increasing complexity of business environments has resulted in decision-making also becoming more complicated. While classical decision-making theories purport strategic decision-making to be a result of rational contemplation, more recent research findings have put forward a more holistic view, which includes intuition as a tool for decision-making processes. Studies illustrate, that the implementation of intuition as a part of decision-making in companies can lead to improved company performance. Dealing with decisions and the way decisions are made is very individual and according to Musso and Francioni (2012) is mostly influenced by the decision maker’s personality. Traditionally, there has been a differentiation made between decision-makers that employ a rational method of decision-making and those that use intuition. Successful decision-makers appear to be able to commingle both of these decision-making methods and it is the character traits of precisely these decision-makers which will be scrutinized. The aim of this paper is to discuss the personality of the decision-maker who is open to intuition

Wind Energy and Multicriteria Analysis in Making Decisions on the Location of Wind Farms: A Case Study in the North-Eastern of Poland

This chapter presents an investigation of different methods of multicriteria analysis and different rules of proceedings that have to be taken into account for making decision about location of a wind farm with application in the north-eastern (NE) Poland. Ten multicriteria analyses were discussed taking into account the main criteria on which they are based on utility functions (MAUT, AHP, and DEMATEL), relationship outranking (ELECTRE, PROMETHEE, and ARROW-RAYNAUD), distances (TOPSIS), and decision support (BORDA ranking methods and their modified and COPELAND). Taking into account of nine criteria that should be met by the location of 15 wind turbines in Krynki and Szudzialowo communities, the main three criteria (C3, C8, and C9) were found to differentiate location of eight wind turbines (T-6–T-13), according to two variants (I and II). The Borda ranking method proved that from among the two variants considered, the more suitable location of wind turbines is second variant W II than first variant W I. Variant W II had a higher altitude of the terrain (C3) and less risk of impact on birds (C8) and bats species (C9) than variant W I

The Effect Of Mobile BI On Organisational Managerial Decision-Making

Managerial decision-making has always involved the use of numerous distinct information resources. Modern managerial decision-making processes require a wealth of information that is enhanced and transformed into knowledge in order to take effective action. Mobility in business is increasingly exercising influence on core business processes of organisations. Recent advances in wireless technologies coupled with the rapid growth of mobile devices in business have led to a new era in business computing. Mobile Business Intelligence (Mobile BI) is a system that has been conceived to assist, accelerate and to enhance the managerial decision-making processes. Drawing from an array of previous studies that attempted to measure the value of Business Intelligence (BI) and other IT systems in organisations, this study develops a new kind of measure which is based on an understanding of the distinct properties of Mobile BI systems in an organisational-oriented context

A cognitive prosthesis for complex decision-making

While simple heuristics can be ecologically rational and effective in naturalistic decision making contexts, complex situations require analytical decision making strategies, hypothesis-testing and learning. Sub-optimal decision strategies – using simplified as opposed to analytic decision rules – have been reported in domains such as healthcare, military operational planning, and government policy making. We investigate the potential of a computational toolkit called “IMAGE” to improve decision-making by developing structural knowledge and increasing understanding of complex situations. IMAGE is tested within the context of a complex military convoy management task through (a) interactive simulations, and (b) visualization and knowledge representation capabilities. We assess the usefulness of two versions of IMAGE (desktop and immersive) compared to a baseline. Results suggest that the prosthesis helped analysts in making better decisions, but failed to increase their structural knowledge about the situation once the cognitive prosthesis is removed

Developing a Collaborative Learning Support System for a Natural Protected Area

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Decision Support Systems Adoption Among Strategic Decision Makers in Higher Learning Institution in Yemen

It is claimed that higher education institutions in Yemen do not have clear visions, missions, strategic objectives, and they apply traditional management systems with complex procedures. In addition, there has been some ignorance of technology among the Yemeni strategic decision makers because they have not had a clear view of what Information Technology applications can contribute in developing their institutions and the strategic decision-making, and styles of the strategic decision makers. IT applications can also be used in investigating the perceived acceptance of the strategic decision makers towards decision support systems (DSS) technologies. Thus, the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) has been adopted. A total of 121 forms of questionnaire were collected from the strategic decision makers in Sana’a University and Science and Technology University. Descriptive, regression and structural equation modeling analyses were run to test the hypotheses. The present study found that the research policy, adoption of information technology applications, curriculum, mission, organization of colleges and university, admission policies, financial policies, facilities and equipment, and institutional governance personnel are areas that require strategic decisions in the Yemeni higher learning institutions. Regarding decision making styles, the majority are technical-oriented (analytical and directive) strategic decision makers. The findings indicate that performance expectancy and strategic value expectancy have a significant positive influence on behavioural intention of the strategic decision makers to adopt the DSS. However social influence was found to have influence on behavioural intention when it was tested alone as an independent construct. The strategic decision maker’s decision making style moderates the relationship between efforts expectancy and behavioural intention only. However, administrative experience and professional achievement moderate the relationship between performance expectancy and strategic value expectancy, and behavioural intention only. As a conclusion, this study suggests that technology adoption can be a new strategic decision area