Business Intelligence for Small and Middle-Sized Entreprises

Data warehouses are the core of decision support sys- tems, which nowadays are used by all kind of enter- prises in the entire world. Although many studies have been conducted on the need of decision support systems (DSSs) for small businesses, most of them adopt ex- isting solutions and approaches, which are appropriate for large-scaled enterprises, but are inadequate for small and middle-sized enterprises. Small enterprises require cheap, lightweight architec- tures and tools (hardware and software) providing on- line data analysis. In order to ensure these features, we review web-based business intelligence approaches. For real-time analysis, the traditional OLAP architecture is cumbersome and storage-costly; therefore, we also re- view in-memory processing. Consequently, this paper discusses the existing approa- ches and tools working in main memory and/or with web interfaces (including freeware tools), relevant for small and middle-sized enterprises in decision making

Business Intelligence Solution for an SME: A Case Study.

Business Intelligence (BI) leverages the usefulness of existing information. It equips business users with relevant information to perform various analyses to make key business decisions. Over the last two decades, BI has become a core strategy for the growth of many companies, in particular large corporations. However, studies show that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) lag behind in implementation and exploitation of BI solutions. To stay ahead of the competition, SMEs must be able to monitor and effectively use all of their resources, in particular information resources, to assist them in making important business decisions. In this paper, we examine the challenges such as lack of technical expertise and limited budget when implementing a BI solution within an SME in the UK. In light of our experiences in tackling these issues, we discuss how these challenges can be overcome through applying various tools and strategies and the potential benefits

The Perceived Business Benefit of Cloud Computing: An Exploratory Study

The objective of the research is to study the benefits of cloud computing perceived by adopters and examine the impact of moderating factors on the relationship between the type of cloud computing and the perceived benefit. The moderating factors include firm size and value-chain activities. A measurement instrument of a 5-point Likert scale was administered on businesses of different sizes in Taiwan. The benefit of cloud computing measured in the study were: cost reduction, improved capability and enhanced scalability. The results show that the perceived benefit of cloud computing varies depending on the type of cloud computing, the value chain activity where cloud computing is deployed, and the business size. Also, businesses benefit more in enhanced scalability than in cost reduction and increased business capability. After adopting cloud computing, businesses gain more capability in support activities than in primary activities. However, there is no significant difference in composite benefit among Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Furthermore, there is marginally significant interaction effect between the types of cloud computing and the business size

Logistics and cloud computing service providers’ cooperation: a resilience perspective

Cloud computing (CC) services can offer substantial cost-effective global operational and relationship benefits if the cooperation between logistics and CC services are resilient. Potential vulnerabilities to cooperation of CC and logistics service providers can occur with respect to vital factors such as security and trust. Extant studies have demonstrated CC benefits as well as few challenges associated with CC services application. However, no extant study has examined the inter-organisational benefits based on cooperative resilience between CC and logistics service providers in terms of both capability and trust vulnerability factors. This study examines the cooperative resilience of logistics and CC service providers based on innovation diffusion theory (IDT) within a supply-chain risk assessment framework. Using structural equation modelling techniques we investigate the relationship between the vulnerability factor (trust), capability factor (security) and collaboration benefits (relationship and operational) offered by CC service providers based on 236 Chinese logistics service firms’ perceptions of cloud computing adoption. The results indicate Chinese logistics companies perceive security impediments as a major factor affecting cooperative resilience between logistics service and CC service providers

Working the digital silk road : Alibaba's digital free trade zone in Malaysia

A warehouse is a lot like a computer, according to Zhu Lijun, leader of the algorithm team at Cainiao network, the logistics arm of China’s e-commerce giant the Alibaba Group. The “common reliance on storage, extraction, and processing lends the two some striking operational and structural parallels,” the engineer told an audience at the 2018 Global Smart Logistics Summit in Hangzhou (Alibaba Tech 2018). What are we to make of this comparison, given the increased presence of automated technologies in warehouses and the debate concerning their implications for workers (Delfanti and Frey 2020; Beverungen 2021)? To understand the warehouse as a computer with the spatial qualities of an industrial facility is to bring the question of digital work into settings that are at once technical and physical, software-driven, and primed for hard labor

Research on the Status Quo and Countermeasures of HR Company's Inventory Management

HR is a manufacturer of electromechanical products in China. Its manufacturing features are muti-variety for orders, mixed batch production mode with small batches and large batches. In recent years, with the development of enterprises, the increase of product varieties and the increase of production tasks, the production process has also encountered new problems of excessive management cost and relatively low production control. The profit rate of enterprises has also declined. The trend of capital cost occupancy has become aware of the importance of inventory management, and it is eager to improve operational management through inventory management. HR company's long-term inventory management is empirical and extensive management, lacking the guidance of scientific theory. Based on the study of inventory management theory and method, this paper uses the theory of constraints (TOC) to analyze the problems and causes in inventory management and find out the improvement. countermeasure. According to the actua situation of the enterprise, using MRP principle and Excel information processing method to build order management, raw material, work-in-process, finished product and production planning data correlative processing platform in order to improve the accuracy of production control. Implement ABC classification for different categories of inventory and select appropriate control strategies. This paper will propose corresponding countermeasures from the establishment of the enterprise database, the construction of a data processing platform, production planning, and scientific inventory management. The actual problems and root causes of inventory summarized in the research process are representative in SMEs. The proposed inventory management strategy is practical, operable and referrible from the perspective of the enterprise and from the technica point of view. It is hoped that this paper can improve the inventory management level of HR companies and can play a reference role for small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprise with the same characteristics. During the completion of the thesis, there is sufficient communication carried out with the company. The important strategy has been adopted by the enterprise

Empowering SMEs to make better decisions with Business Intelligence: A Case Study

With the advance of Business Information Systems (BIS), irrespective of the size, companies have adopted an approach to electronic data collection and management for two decades. The advancement in technology means they have in their possessions large volumes of historical data. Large organizations have cached on this and use a range of tools and techniques to leverage the usefulness of this information to make more informed business decisions. For most small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs), however, such data typically sits in an archive without being utilized. While SMEs appreciate the need for utilizing historical data to make more informed business decisions, they often lack the technical knowhow and funding to embrace an effective BI solution. In this paper, drawing from our experience in implementing a BI solution for a UK SME we discuss some potential tools and strategies that could help SMEs overcome these challenges so as to reap the benefits of adopting an effective BI solution

Challenges and Strategies for Inventory Management in Small and Medium-Sized Cosmetic Enterprises: A Review

This research paper presents a case study analysis of the inventory management challenges faced by small and medium-sized cosmetic enterprises (SMEs) and the strategies employed to overcome them. The study was conducted through qualitative research methods, including in-depth interviews with managers of SMEs in the cosmetics industry. The findings revealed that the major challenges faced by SMEs in managing their inventory were poor demand forecasting, inadequate storage facilities, and lack of efficient inventory control systems. To mitigate these challenges, SMEs employed strategies such as outsourcing inventory management, adopting technology-driven inventory control systems, and establishing efficient supply chain networks. The study concludes that effective inventory management is crucial for the success of SMEs in the cosmetics industry, and the strategies identified in this study could be useful for practitioners seeking to improve their inventory management practices

Virtual Warehouse for Merchandise Inventory, Small And Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) in The E-Commerce Sector

The advancement of e-commerce marketplace applications has made small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) in the e-commerce sector, grow rapidly in the current Era Industrial Revolution 4.0 Era. With limited capital, SMEs businesses must compete by increasing the inventory of various merchandise and large stocks, thus requiring an increase in warehouse capacity to become larger. There is a phenomenon related to the need for large warehouses and inventory for merchandise products of SMEs in the e-commerce sector, to e-commerce marketplace applications that have a virtual warehouse concept.The purpose of this study was to determine the concept of virtual warehouses, inventory management in virtual warehouses and the advantages of virtual warehouses, for SMEs in the E-commerce sector in the Industrial Revolution Era 4.0. This research method is descriptive qualitative. Informants in this study were determined purposively.The Virtual Warehouse is a virtual storage place to accommodate and store inventory data, it’s a product of a digital application system program that functions to accommodate, storage, and record inventory data stock. In the e-commerce marketplace application, the warehouse facility feature is provided virtually by the application system. It’s implementation greatly reduces costs and is very efficient compared to conventional physical warehouses. With mobile device or computer that can operating online and within internet signal range, operating of virtual warehouse can be carried out anytime and anywher