This semester you have worked with several data analytic techniques. The Portfolio Paper allows you to take this information and turn it into useful information for decision makers. We often think of business analysts as those who gather data and manipulate it using various techniques to come up with recommendations for decision makers. Please add to this that all data is not necessary quantitative. There are times when business analysis involves researching literature and synthesizing/summarizing the literature to provide decision makers with insights they may have never considered. Here are the requirements:
Pick a research topic in the organization/industry you have been using. Some of you may want to venture out in to other fields, but please make sure it connects back to your original industry to meet the MBA portfolio requirements. This can be work related, personal, or otherwise. What I want to see is that you can gather qualitative data from various sources and make a recommendation based on your data analysis. As a reminder, you have worked with descriptive statistics, predictive statistics, and prescriptive statistics.
Here are some examples:
What is the future of Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity?
How can business analytics be used to overcome pandemic effects for small and medium sized companies?
What is the future of business analytics in the _______ industry?
Hopefully this gives you an idea of how to choose a problem. Email me if you would like feedback on your research question.
Your final report should be at least 8 pages (Does not include title page or table of contents). Times New Roman or Arial 12 point font. 1 inch margins. Double spaced. Please use APA format like you have been using for the MBA Portfolio requirement.
The rubric requests the following four items be covered:
1. Industry/organizational description including historical and operational context
2. Description of the current state of analytics and decision support applications within the industry/organization
3. Identification of the challenges, opportunities, and directions for future advancement of analytics and decision support applications within the industry/organization
4. Articulation and discussion of the tangible as well as intangible benefits gained through investment in analytics and decision support applications
Make sure the information leads the reader to the conclusion. You need at least 3 graphics (table, figure, etc.). Each graphic needs a brief introduction before the graphic and then a paragraph following the graphic that tells the reader what they should have taken from the graphic.
You need at least 10 references. Use APA for both the in text citations and references.
The goal is to make something you would be proud to put your name on and hand to your boss or peers. My intent is to pick a few of the best papers and work with the those who are interested to submit them to practitioner journals.
Please make sure you upload your file by the due date.
