Indiana University

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Monday, February 13, 2012

Last modified: Monday, February 13, 2012

IU Kelley School launches new Institute for Business Analytics

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 13, 2012

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University's Kelley School of Business on Tuesday, Feb. 14, will celebrate its new Institute for Business Analytics with a presentation by industry leader Barbara Williams of Hill-Rom Enterprises.

Business analytics is an emerging field that directs companies in how to best use data about their practices and consumers -- using techniques such as predictive analytics, optimization and simulation -- to make fact-based decisions that improve productivity, increase profits and create competitive advantages.

The institute is co-directed by Vijay Khatri, associate professor of information systems and an Arthur M. Weimer Faculty Fellow; and Frank Acito, a professor of marketing, the Max Barney Faculty Fellow and former associate dean for information technology of the Kelley School.

"The opportunity for the institute was created by the convergence of several recent trends, including the unprecedented rate at which data is being generated and stored; the declining cost and increasing capabilities of computers and software; and the competitive pressures on companies and organizations to do more with less," Acito said.

The Kelley School's institute is one of just a few nationwide that is focused on business analytics.

"The Kelley Institute for Business Analytics at Indiana University was established to serve the interests of our students, faculty and external corporate partners by providing thought leadership, research opportunities, teaching materials and programs, and linkages to ideas and information in this important and exciting emerging field, " said Dan Smith, dean of the school.

"The design and development of the institute was based upon inputs from consulting firms, software companies and consumer products companies, ensuring that we're focusing on the topics and skills that will most benefit our students and the business community," Khatri noted.

Also instrumental in the development of the institute were Ash Soni, associate dean of information technology, professor of operations and decision technologies and the ArcelorMittal Faculty Fellow; and M.A. Venkataramanan, associate dean of academic programs, professor of decision sciences and the Jack R. Wentworth Professor.

The Institute for Business Analytics will support academics programs that prepare students to solve business problems using analytics, as well as corporate partnerships that shape the school's understanding of analytics and help companies tap into Kelley's talent. It also will support cross-disciplinary research by faculty and organize seminars, conferences and case competitions.

The institute's upcoming speaker, Williams, joined Hill-Rom in 2005 as director of enterprise business intelligence solutions, responsible for the development of Hill-Rom's business intelligence strategy.

In May 2009, she became the director of information management and became more responsible for Hill-Rom's collaboration; database analysts; IT regulatory and compliance; customer relationship management; and electronic data interchange operations.

Before joining Hill-Rom, Williams was a district manager at AT&T Laboratories responsible for all aspects of the design, development, installation and implementation of network provisioning information systems. She also oversaw the data warehouse for AT&T's core, local, signaling, international and wireless networks. She received AT&T's Innovation award for the proposal and execution of changes to simplify the architecture with interfaces to AT&T's network elements.

Williams will share her experience developing enterprise business intelligence strategy. In her presentation "Journey Toward Enterprise Business Intelligence," she will share the process used to develop a business intelligence strategic roadmap. She will highlight the importance of an iterative approach for delivering business functionality and for building a strong foundation for successful business intelligence. She will also highlight the importance of data quality.

Williams will speak from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Room 1056 of the Godfrey Graduate and Executive Education Center, 1275 E. Tenth St. The public is welcome.

More information about the Institute for Business Analytics is available online here.


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