Using Business Intelligence to Support the Process of Organizational Sensemaking

Abstract

Abstract:Making sense of an organization overwhelmed with data becomes a problem for decision makers at all levels of business planning and operation. Although scholars have suggested several technological solutions such as business intelligence as being useful in helping busy executives to make decisions, we still know little about assisting business stakeholders in the process of understanding their organizational complexity before such decisions could even be formulated. In this paper, we investigate the opportunities in using BI technologies to make sense of a business environment. We analyze the views and opinions of developers, analysts, consultants, and users of business intelligence, who are experienced in using the technology beyond decision making to support organizational sensemaking. Our results highlight the need for creating and maintaining individual; and organizational identity and enacting this identity on the business and its environment.

Industrial internet platforms: A conceptual evaluation from a product lifecycle management perspective

“…These applications help in sharing the relevant information between the different actors and also in sensemaking. 41 The ability to develop individual apps extends the realm of potential users significantly and virtually allows theoretically ''limitless'' functionality.…”

“…In terms of data access, Predix, MyJohnDeere and Bosch IoT Suite have the unique advantage of providing their own sensors which can work in different environments. 14,36,41 These platforms have the capability to directly access a new source of data which is not possible for platforms which do not provide their own hardware (e.g. sensors, actuators).…”

Simplifying Sensemaking: Concept, Process, Strengths, Shortcomings, and Ways Forward for Information Systems in Contemporary Business Environments

“…• Namvar et al (2016) shed light on the notion of information systems in the form of business intelligence (e.g. standard reports, ad-hoc reports, query drilldowns, and alerts) and business analytics (e.g.…”

“…• Finally, the sensemaking properties proposed by Weick (1995Weick ( , 2008 and the business information systems suggested by Namvar et al (2016) are positioned as factors to consider (or enablers) for the sequential tasks and quality-assurance loops in the sensemaking process. That is, data in the form of salient cues and ongoing projects serve as inputs to information development; identity construction, social context, retrospection, and plausibility serve as considerations that must be taken into account by the sensemaker as they affect the interpretations made during insight development; and the development of information received and the quality assurance loops are enacted with the support of business information systems in the form of business intelligence and business analytics.…”

“…Simplifying Sensemaking mental models of reality, their causes, and their use in reaching informed decisions with the support of existing and future information systems and technology (Boland, 2008;Namvar et al, 2016). Third, sensemaking links elements of the natural world, the social world, and the technology world, and thus is well-positioned to contribute to research inquiry in contemporary environments, such as in business information systems research (Gregor, 2006).…”