An Open Source Web Mapping System for Tourism Planning and Management

The geographic distribution of current and potential customers is a major decision variable in tourism marketing. These distributions are most effectively modeled via the spatial analytic and visualization capabilities of a Geographic Information System (GIS). However, many businesses are not able to capitalize on these systems due to their complexity and/or expense. In these cases, a marketing decision support tool is needed which will allow the tourism industry and research community to capitalize on the value of GIS. This study explores the use of an open source web mapping system and a corresponding data structure to address this application gap. A customized web mapping application gives every user the ability to easily capture, display, augment and manipulate his/her own consumer related data to identify patterns and generate new hypotheses that could significantly improve their marketing analysis process

An Open Educational Resources for Increasing the Geographic Information Awareness of Business Leaders

This paper describes all aspects of designing, developing and incorporating an Open Educational Resources (OER) to increase the awareness of business leaders on geographical information. The paper includes the proposed methodology for the design and development of the OER. The final proposed OER modules will be offered in various forms including synchronous E-learning modules like distance learning sessions through shared white board, virtual classrooms, scheduled online examination and asynchronous e-learning modules like the coursework through the web, email, message board or online forums and online GI System (GIS) tools. During the pilot implementation of the OER, the selected business leaders who will be primarily the OER learners aiming to build their GI awareness starting by learning the basics of the GI, addressing the business operations’ issues, identifying the GI role in solving the business operations’ issues and finally practicing the GIS & applying it in their daily business operations. In a later stage, an OER assessment should follow in order to check the progress in the business leaders’ GI awareness

Using GIS and CRM to Develop Intermediary Portal E-Business Model: The Case of Automobile Industry

As Internet-based and other virtual technologies are being used more and more for procurement, supply chain management, product development, customer relations, and other business functions, and as they are proving to be efficacious, e-business has undoubtedly become an integral element in the business and engineering strategies of many automakers and suppliers. What e-business can provide to an automotive cooperation has been well stated for improving product quality, reducing costs, and shortening time-to-market cycles. In this paper, Renault Australia is used as an example of where the automobile industry is currently positioned in relation to E-Business. Online WebGIS-based Marketing Support System, developed as a portal e-business model, is designed to assistant information and knowledge exchange between the market analysis business and decision makers (and sales people) in auto industry. Incorporating marketing information gives rise to a better understanding of the potential of particular market areas or target markets, and helps identify the strengths and weaknesses of the competition in particular market areas or among particular target market segments. Such market analysis strategies obviously provide competitive advantages. Sharing information and obtaining market analysis outcomes through the Web will provide business decision makers with up to date information and knowledge. This solution will not only reduce costs for business planning, but also help to avoid the cost of wrong decisions

Marketing information systems: An integrative view

Information is a basic resource for the decision making. For this, the organizations use information systems which give this basic resource. An information system is a means through which data flow inside a company, from a worker or department to other workers or departments. This may occur everywhere, from the organizations`s internal communication to computerized systems that generate periodical reports for varied users.In the present work, we center on the information systems from a marketing perspective. The methodology of this paper is based on a qualitative research approach. This article reviews relevant marketing information system models presented historically in the academic literature. The information systems most commonly examined are the Marketing Information System (MIS) and the Marketing Decision Support System (MDSS). We have observed that there is some confusion in the literature regarding these information systems. Hence, we have aimed to give an integrative viewpoint and we have proposed a hybrid and global systemLa información es un recurso imprescindible en la toma de decisiones de las organizaciones. Por ello, las organizaciones recurren a sistemas de información que les provean de este recurso básico. Un sistema de información es un medio por el que fluyen datos en una organización, desde un trabajador o departamento hasta otros trabajadores o departamentos. Esto puede ocurrir desde la comunicación interna de la organización hasta los sistemas informatizados que generan informes periódicos para distintos usuarios. En el presente trabajo, nos centramos en los sistemas de información desde la perspectiva de marketing. Se ha llevado a cabo un enfoque de estudio cualitativo, realizando una revisión de los modelos más relevantes presentados históricamente en la literatura académica respecto a los sistemas de información de marketing. Los sistemas más comunes son el Sistema de Información de Marketing (SIM) y el Sistema de Apoyo a las Decisiones de Marketing (SADM). Hemos observado que existe una cierta confusión en la literatura respecto a estos sistemas de información. Así, hemos tratado de aportar una visión integradora de los distintos puntos de vista existentes, proponiendo un sistema híbrido y global

Creating a geodemographic classification model within geo-marketing: the case of Eskişehir province

Businesses today face great competition in their operations, making it necessary for them to adopt a “customer-oriented” approach. In this competitive environment, where customers are more valuable, enterprises accrue great advantages from an understanding of the characteristics of the target audience in all dimensions. This is where the importance of geo-marketing and demographic segmentation for enterprises emerges. This study performed a geo-demographic segmentation of the urban neighbourhoods of Eskişehir province and sought to determine the characteristics of the people living in these neighbourhoods at the household level. The Groups created using the SPSS package program as well as Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical Clustering Analysis were then mapped on the GIS platform as urban neighbourhoods

The availability and use of competitive and business intelligence in South African business organisations

Business intelligence (BI) plays a critical role in providing actionableintelligence to enable good business decision-making. Internationalresearch shows clear evidence of the benefi ts of implementing soundBI practices. However, within a South African business context, anunderstanding of the practice, impact and benefi ts of BI is only partlyaddressed by existing research. Consequently, this article presentsthe most salient fi ndings of a recent BI study, which was one of thefew such studies that have been conducted in South Africa in the21st century. Although the discussion refl ects fairly high generalsatisfaction levels with BI among South African businesses, someproblems related especially to external BI dimensions are highlighted.An equally important and major concern raised by the article is theapparent lack of companies capitalising on BI opportunities andcoordinating BI functions eff ectively. Of concern at the generalmanagement level, in particular, are the low satisfaction levels withBI quality, as well as various aspects of BI collection, analysis anddissemination. Despite the fact that businesses use BI functions andplanning support software, the survey fi ndings reveal insuffi cientinvestment in sophisticated BI analysis tools

From geography department to business school: strategies for transplanting GIS courses between disciplines

A number of strategies have been adopted for the development and delivery of GIS curricula in various disciplines. The main strategies are described, evaluated and illustrated with reference to recent practice. The author then uses a transplantation analogy to describe the process whereby he adapted his own GIS modules following a move from a modestly sized geography department to a large business school. Several critical questions are posed, including: what is the best strategy for developing GIS courses for business students?; how does one ensure disciplinary and curricular fit in the transplantation process?; and what are the likely reactions and learning experiences of business students who take transplanted modules? Conclusions are drawn on the potential for geographers to assist in the development of GIS courses for other disciplines in the future

Geomarketing As A Tool For Health Service Business: Private Hospital Application

Geomarketing, a new way of knowledge-based marketing, integrates geographic analysis, reasoning, and technology for the improvement of the business judgmental decision. Geomarketing can help you find out who your best customers are and apply geographic analysis techniques to discover where to find more of them. Solving almost any sales and marketing challenge start with knowing who your customer is. Therefore; private hospitals, as commercial businesses with huge investments, also need to find out their best customers and discover where to find more of them. In other words, private hospitals also need customer profiling with geomarketing tools. In this context, the aim of this study is to analyze spatial density, based on the demographic characteristics of customers of private hospitals. A small private hospital, located in Eskisehir city center was chosen for this study. In one year period, the address locations, frequency of visits, clinic choices and neighborhood concentrations of the patients, due to the demographic characteristics, were examined using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) from the hospital patient records