Advanced Business Intelligence at Cardinal Health

Authors

Traci A. Carte, University of OklahomaFollow
Albert B. Schwarzkopf, University of OklahomaFollow
Teresa M. Shaft, University of OklahomaFollow
Robert W. Zmud, University of OklahomaFollow

Abstract

In the mid-1990s, Cardinal Health’s Medical Products and Services business implemented SAP R/3, and built an accompanying data warehouse to handle business reporting. Since that time, use of the data warehouse has diffused widely across the enterprise and has evolved into an advanced business intelligence (BI) capability that the business professionals use regularly to solve problems and to take advantage of opportunities. Besides the data warehouse, the key components of this advanced BI environment are Cardinal Health’s data infrastructure (its enterprise-wide data model, limited set of tools, and robust support environment) and its information culture (its data-driven decision style, business-led IT decisionmaking, dense social networks, and pull reporting structure). This article describes this advanced BI environment, how Cardinal Health evolved it, and how others might do the same.

Recommended Citation

Carte, Traci A.; Schwarzkopf, Albert B.; Shaft, Teresa M.; and Zmud, Robert W. (2008) "Advanced Business Intelligence at Cardinal Health," MIS Quarterly Executive: Vol. 4: Iss. 4, Article 5.
Available at: https://aisel.aisnet.org/misqe/vol4/iss4/5