E-Based Market Intelligence - A Management Information System for the Market of Energy Efficient Construction

Abstract

The aim of the project is the implementation of a management information system (MIS) for a continuous market investigation and decision support.

For this purpose, information from the internet is collected, obtained and structured automatically and new data, e.g. from surveys, is generated. These information is to be processed to market experience by different analysis. This market experience allows early detection of important trends and therefore serves as an assistance for decision making processes. Beyond that, an improved customized advertising of the respective target groups is to be permitted by the gained market experience.

The project exemplarily deals with the market of energy efficient construction. In a first step important parameters of the market are analysed and collected systematically in the data base of the MIS. With the aid of the collected information, specific analysis and forecasts are realisable, which are enclosed in the knowledge base. Beyond that, the system offers information for specific e-marketing campaigns, based on the generated knowledge.

Description

Motivation and Aim

As a result of an increasing dynamic in market developments, the complexity of identifying market structures and giving detailed forecasts of trends in markets is rising. Misinterpretations can result in inaccurate strategic decisions. A possible result may be a decrease in costumer satisfaction e.g. based on issues in the availability of the company's product. Amongst others, a lack of discovering market potential may lead to a miss of business opportunities.

The market of energy efficient construcion is assumed to bear high potentials, while it is still weakly explored. Thus, it isn't really known yet, which aspects are influencing the market development and how large the value of this influence actually is.

The aim of the project is the development of a management information system for the market of energy efficient construction by collecting, structuring and processing major qualitative and quantitative parameters which are relevant in the market development, using different analysis for market knowledge.

The internet contains a huge amount of unstructered market data. The identification, reference and structuring of this data, the selection and linking of relevant internal company data and finally the organization and usage of all the data represent the project's main focus. Different approaches for knowledge management are applied to handle these tasks.

Using the qualitative and quantitative data, a knowledge base about the market of energy efficient constrution will be created, which has to be monitored permanently, for providing forecasts and recommendations to the management of a company contemporary.

Tasks

• Market demarcation: To monitor and to analyse the market of energy efficient construction, a well-defined demarcation is necessary. This occurs by the use of different market demarcation theories. The relevant definition and the concept of functional analogy accumulate a factual, demand-driven approach.
• Collection of information: To be able to analyse the market, the relevant parameters must be identified. This takes place in an international study, which consults experts of science, politics and economy. On the one hand, external data (economic data, market data) are collected in the World Wide Web. Potential sources are federal statistic offices and company websites of competitors. Beyond that, internal data of the company is used. The specific challenge in the context of collecting information, is the identification of valid sources and it-supported gathering of the data.
• Organization and structuring of information: The market and business information gained from the internet and intranet will be collected and structured in a data base. Based on the identified information, concrete information about the market is provided to the management by standardized analysis. Furthermore, a forecast model of the market will be developed, which in the long-run may be used to estimate the future market potential and to identify decision-relevant changes of the situation. These information are stored in a so-called knowledge base. Challenges in the development of this knowledge base are situated in the way of representation as well as storage and management of information and knowledge.
• Utilization of information: The processed knowledge in the knowledge base is provided by a management portal. Within the utilization of information, the management is able to derive implications for market decisions. The main focus in this context is the output of reliable market forecasts. Beyond that, country and target group specific statements for the customized advertisements are generated for the creation of holistic marketing concepts based on the gained market knowledge.

Components of the management information system

The management information systems consists of three main components.

• Data base: In the data base information are gathered from the internet or company internal systems.

• Knowledge base: The knowledge gained out of internal or external data sources as well as the link of both information types, is stored in the knowledge base. Standardized market analysis and forecasts can be queried here.

• Management portal: The management portal represents the administrative core of the management information system. The underlying implementation tool is MS SharePoint, which is used by many companies as an intranet solution. Qualitative information and documents concerning specific countries can be stored and viewed in the portal. Furthermore, different results of forecasts and analysis for decision making are visualized there.

Related work - Applied theories

The research project „E-Based Market Intelligence“ is part of the competence center Service Business.

Areas of research

• Knowledge Management
• Business Intelligence
• Management Information Systems
• Market analysis & -forecast
• Visualization
• E-Marketing

Project Team

• Project Management: Dipl.-Kff. Iris Kaiser
• Students: Maya Vladimirov, Olessia Barbatkov, Severin Dimic, Sindy Dominko, Sophia Frank, Sebastian Ritter, Ulrike Galle, Anna Mamay-Gaßner, Ekaterina Klochkova, Jana Benesova, , Ali Topal, Jenny Chakkalakal, Krastan Georgiev, Charles Ke Li, Ekaterina Nierlich, Peter Galiger, Christina Tugui, Ulrike Galle, Valdyslav Gabuchiya, Florian Hutzler

Company Contacts

Publications

Diploma Thesis and Result Papers

• Maya Vladimirov: Abgrenzung des Marktes für energieeffizientes Bauen und Kriterienentwicklung zur IT-gestützten Prognose dieses Marktes. Diplomarbeit 2008.

• Olessia Barbatkov: Kriterienentwicklung zur IT-gestützten Prognose des russischen Marktes für energieeffizientes Bauen. Studienarbeit 2008.

• Severin Dimic: Einsatzmöglichkeiten von E-Business im Multi-Channel-Management für Investitionsgüter. Diplomarbeit 2008.

• Sindy Dominko: Knowledge Management und Business Intelligence. Bachelorarbeit 2009.

• Sophia Frank: Effiziente Datengewinnung und Analyse der Datenqualität im World Wide Web. Diplomarbeit 2009.

• Sebastian Ritter: Einsatzmöglichkeiten des Web 2.0 für ein Unternehmen der Bauzulieferindustrie. Diplomarbeit 2009.

• Anna Mamay: Entwicklung eines Konzepts zur Datenskalierung und -strukturierung am Beispiel der Informationen zum Markt für energieeffizientes Bauen. Diplomarbeit 2009.

• Ekaterina Klochkova: Comparison of the energy efficient construction markets in India and the US based on an international market model. Masterarbeit 2009.

• Jana Benesova: Konzeption einer Marktdatenbank für ein Managementinformationssystem. Studienarbeit 2009.

• Ali Topal, Jenny Chakkalakal, Krastan Georgiev: Value adding services in a management information system. Projektarbeit 2009.

• Peter Galiger: Implementierung eines E-Services zur automatischen Identifikation und Kommunikation von geplanten Bauprojekten aus webbasierten Nachrichten-Aggregatoren. Studienarbeit 2009.

• Charles Ke Li, Ekaterina Nierlich: Benchmarking: Möglichkeiten des branchenübergreifenden Technologietransfers. Projektarbeit 2010.

• Christina Tugui: Untersuchung des Marktes für energieeffizientes Bauen in Rumänien. Studienarbeit 2010.

• Valdyslav Gabuchiya: Interaktive Landkarte zur Visualisierung von Unternehmensdaten. Diplomarbeit 2010.

• Florian Hutzler: Analyse der Marktakteure und Netzwerkeffekte am Markt für energieeffizientes Bauen. Diplomarbeit 2010.

• Ulrike Galle: Evaluation eines Managementinformationssystems zum Markt für energieeffizientes Bauen. Diplomarbeit 2010.

• Achim Novy: Ableitung von Marketingmaßnahmen auf Basis MIS-gestützter quantitativer und qualitativer Daten für den Markt des energieeffizienten Bauens. Diplomarbeit 2010.

Related Student Reports (excerpt)