Module Learning Outcomes: Journal Review on Current Trends in Business Intelligence

TASK DESCRIPTION

Module Learning Outcomes

Upon the successful completion of this module, the student should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

1. Identify and critically evaluate the current trends in data warehousing, business intelligence and data mining.
2. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge and systematic understanding of essential concepts and principles by using predictive analytic software.

TASK DESCRIPTION

You will write a journal review on current trend in Business Intelligence that you will have covered over the course of the semester which you will need to agree with your tutor. Your tutor is not only interested in the coverage and content of the article being reviewed but also in your critical assessment of the ideas and argument that are being presented by the author.

Use the following research article, ‘Realizing the strategic impact of business intelligence utilization’ (full article available on Moodle) as a starting point for your research to help with identifying current trends in BI: As a technology-driven process for analysing data and presenting actionable information to help managerial decision-making, business intelligence has become an important concept with the availability of “big data” (Puklavec et al., 2018). Business intelligence is integrated into regular work practices as an appropriate tool to extract “big data” in a speedy way to make the right decisions. The dimensions of business intelligence include data integration, analytical capabilities, content quality in business processes, and decision-making culture (Eidizadeh et al., 2017).

NOTE: The guidance offered below is linked to the five common assessment criteria overleaf.

1. Research-informed Literature

Your work must be informed and supported by scholarly material that is relevant to and focused on the task(s) set. You should provide evidence that you have accessed a wide range of sources, which may be academic, governmental and industrial; these sources may include academic journal articles, textbooks, current news articles, organisational documents, and websites. You should consider the credibility of your sources; academic journals are normally highly credible sources while websites require careful consideration/selection and should be used sparingly. Any sources you use should be current and up-to-date, typically published within the last five years or so, though seminal works in the field may be older. You must provide evidence of your research/own reading throughout your work, using in-text citations in the main body of your work and a reference list that is alphabetical at the end of your work. Please use the Harvard referencing system.

Specific to Assignment 1: You need to use reliable, recent, and relevant external sources, correctly referenced in Harvard style. There is not specific number in terms of how many sources you should cite, but please refrain from forceful referencing and only cite a source when it is consulted and used in your submission.  

2. Knowledge and Understanding of Subject

Guidance on accessing relevant scholarly sources

Your work must demonstrate the growing extent of your knowledge and understanding of concepts and underlying principles associated with the subject area. Knowledge relates to the facts, information and skills you have acquired through your learning. You demonstrate your understanding by interpreting the meaning of the facts and information (knowledge). This means that you need to select and include in your work the concepts, techniques, models, theories, etc. appropriate to the task(s) set. You should be able to explain the theories, concepts, etc. meaningfully to show your understanding. Your mark/grade will also depend upon the extent to which you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding; ideally each should be complete and detailed, with comprehensive coverage.

3. Analysis

Your work must contain evidence of logical, analytical thinking, evaluation and synthesis. For example, to examine and break information down into parts, make inferences, compile, compare and contrast information. This means not just describing What! but also justifying: Why? How? When? Who? Where? At all times, you must provide justification for your arguments and judgements. Evidence that you have reflected upon the ideas of others within the subject area is crucial to you providing a reasoned and informed debate within your work. Furthermore, you should provide evidence that you are able to make sound judgements and convincing arguments using data and concepts. Sound, valid conclusions are necessary and must be derived from the content of your work. There should be no new information presented within your conclusion. Where relevant, alternative solutions and recommendations may be proposed.

4. Practical Application and Deployment

You should be able to demonstrate how the subject-related concepts and ideas relate to real world situations or a particular context. How do they work in practice? You will deploy models, methods, techniques, and/or theories, in that context, to assess current situations, perhaps to formulate plans or solutions to solve problems, some of which may be innovative and creative. This is likely to involve, for instance, the use of real-world examples and cases, the application of a model within an organisation and/or benchmarking one organisation against others based on stated criteria. You should show awareness of the limitations of concepts and theories when applied in particular contexts.

5. Skills for Professional Practice

Your work must provide evidence of the attributes expected in professional practice. This includes demonstrating your individual initiative and/or collaborative working. You must communicate effectively in a suitable format, which may be written and/or oral, for example, essay, management report, presentation. Work should be coherent and well-structured in presentation and organisation.

Essential Resources:

Resources listed on the lecture schedule and on Moodle

The student handbook

Word count guideline & marking criteria:

1. Research-informed Literature
2. Knowledge and Understanding of Subject
3. Analysis
4. Practical Application and Deployment
5. Skills for Professional Practice