Complete BA Plan Including Sections 1, 2, And 3 Plus New

Complete BA Plan Including Sections 1 2 And 3 Plus New

Due Week 8: Complete BA Plan including Sections 1, 2, and 3, plus new Section 4: BA Center Location and Projects. In the final portion of the course project, you will choose a location in the organizational structure for a Business Analytics center, and propose two high-priority projects that the center should undertake. You will also review and update the sections of your BA Plan that were written earlier, incorporating any feedback from your professor on those sections, and submit your completed BA Plan document. Write a 1-2 paragraph description (words) describing how a Business Analytics center for this company should be structured and where it should be located within the organization. This should include whether the BA center should be centralized as a formal organizational unit, or decentralized as a virtual organizational unit (see Exhibit 7.4 in the textbook).

Also describe where the BA center should report in the company's organizational structure (e.g., directly to top management; to the IT department; or to some other department such as marketing, finance, etc.). Explain your choices in terms of the organization's strategy, maturity, and the expected role of the BA center in the organization. Also, describe two business analytics projects that you believe should be the top priorities for the new BA center to undertake. For each project: (1) state the analytical question to be answered; (2) suggest one or more information sources (such as internal accounting reports, customer surveys, market research, etc.) that could be used in the analysis; (3) identify the general analytical method that could be used for the project (see Exhibit 4.2 in the textbook); (4) describe the potential benefits to the organization of completing the project; and (5) explain how the project relates to the organization's strategy, objectives, critical success factors, and KPIs identified in previous sections.

In choosing your projects, you should take into account which business processes for the organization are most important given its strategic priorities (see Exhibit 3.13 in the textbook), as well as the criteria for assessing and prioritizing BA projects described in Chapter 8. Finally, review and revise all sections of your BA Plan document. Incorporate any needed changes based on the feedback given by your professor on your previous submissions. Run a spell-check and grammar check, and proofread to ensure the entire document is professionally written and error-free. Also check that the entire document is professionally and consistently formatted.

Include APA-style references for any sources used in the reference list at the end. At a minimum, you should include a reference for the Nexis Uni database used for the financial data in Section 3, as well as any other sources you consulted. Submit your complete BA Plan document including Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4, and the reference list, to the Week 8: Course Project assignment.

Paper For Above instruction

The establishment of a Business Analytics (BA) center within an organization is a strategic decision that significantly impacts the company's ability to leverage data for competitive advantage. Based on the company's size, strategy, maturity level, and operational focus, the optimal structure of the BA center can vary. For a company prioritizing centralized data management and unified analytics efforts, a centralized BA center as a formal organizational unit is advisable. Such a center typically resides within the corporate headquarters, reporting directly to top management or the Chief Data Officer, ensuring alignment with corporate strategy and facilitating enterprise-wide data integration.

Alternatively, in a scenario where different business units require tailored analytics solutions, a decentralized or virtual BA center may be more appropriate. This structure allows individual business units to have dedicated analytics resources, fostering agility and responsiveness to specific operational needs. In this case, the BA center could report to department heads such as marketing or finance, depending on the business functions most reliant on analytics. The decision hinges on the company's strategic priorities; if the focus is on cross-functional insights and enterprise-wide data governance, centralization is favored. Conversely, for fostering innovation within specific domains, decentralization provides flexibility.

Regarding organizational placement, the BA center should ideally report to top management or a senior executive such as the Chief Data Officer or Chief Operating Officer, depending on the company's hierarchy. This reporting line underscores the importance of analytics in strategic decision-making and ensures visibility and support across departments. If the organization is in the growth or maturity phase of analytics adoption, direct reporting to top management can accelerate integration into strategic initiatives. In organizations with a nascent analytics function, reporting to the IT department may initially be appropriate, as IT often manages data infrastructure, but a transition to a more strategic location is advisable as analytics capabilities mature.

Two high-priority analytics projects should be selected based on their alignment with strategic objectives, potential for value creation, and feasibility. First, a customer segmentation project aims to answer: "Who are our most valuable customers, and what behaviors distinguish them?" Data sources such as internal CRM databases, transactional data, and customer surveys can inform this analysis. Using methods like cluster analysis (referenced in Exhibit 4.2), the project can identify distinct customer segments. The benefits include targeted marketing campaigns, improved customer retention, and increased lifetime value, directly supporting strategic goals of customer-centricity and revenue growth. This project relates to the organization's emphasis on enhancing customer relationships and optimizing marketing spend.

Second, a sales forecasting project addresses: "What sales volumes can we expect in the upcoming quarter or year?" Relevant data sources include historical sales records, economic indicators, and industry reports. Analytical methods such as time series analysis or regression modeling can provide forecasts. Accurate sales predictions enable better inventory management, resource allocation, and strategic planning, contributing to operational efficiency and financial stability. These alignment and benefits underscore how this project supports organizational objectives related to revenue predictability and supply chain optimization.

In conclusion, the optimal location and structure of the BA center depend on the organization's strategic priorities, maturity, and operational needs. Selecting high-impact projects that directly support strategic goals, and aligning them with critical success factors and KPIs, ensures that the BA initiative provides tangible value. Continual review and revision of the BA plan, incorporating feedback and rigorous quality checks, are vital to maintaining relevance and professionalism in the analytics endeavors.

References

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