|
Case studies |
The OLAP Report On-Line includes a number of business-oriented case studies. These focus on the problems that needed solving and the issues involved, rather than product features. However, the case studies do feature a range of OLAP tools, being used for different applications in multinational companies, in several industries, both in the US and in Europe. They are all based on user interviews conducted for The OLAP Report, not on previously published articles or vendor information.
We are always interested in additional case studies, which can be anonymous if preferred, like two of those featured already. In particular, if sites have used The OLAP Report to help them select and implement OLAP products, we would be very interested to hear how they got on, and perhaps feature them in future case studies. Unlike vendors, user sites do have a right of veto on what we say. Apart from fame, the reward for being featured is a six-month subscription to The OLAP Report.
This is an interactive service. We encourage readers to contact the authors with additional information, corrections, suggestions and queries. We will try and respond as quickly as possible. Each case study has the author's name and e-mail link so that you know whom to contact.
 |
Subscribers can view all case studies by clicking on the company names; non-subscribers can purchase some of the more recent individual case studies by clicking on the Buy now button. For more information about each case study, please click on the ‘i’ button. |
Company featured |
Notes |
Pages |
|
A finance portal provides a highly cost-effective global solution to analysis, reporting and performance management applications |
9 |
||
| A large-scale, worldwide planning system, now on its second-generation OLAP-based incarnation, which replaced a slower, more complex, spreadsheet-based implementation |
11 |
  |
|
| A good example of the benefits of replacing a pure spreadsheet application with a more scalable and maintainable OLAP application |
9 |
|
|
| Even smaller companies with minimal in-house IT resources can take full advantage of flexible OLAP applications across the whole organization |
7 |
|
|
| A classic retail sales analysis application rolled out to thousands of users across the organization |
9 |
|
|
| A rare example of an OLAP application being used to analyze detailed production data in a small steel manufacturer, to improve efficiency, reduce energy consumption, refine product strategy and improve financial performance |
6 |
||
| An unusual combination of products from four suppliers (relational database, OLAP database and two competing client tools) is used for complex retail marketing and financial analysis |
4 |
||
| A sophisticated OLAP application allows risk on loans to be managed for maximum profit |
5 |
||
| This specialized loss adjuster now has hundreds of OLAP users, both inside and outside the company, who use it for proactive business decisions |
7 |
||
| A second case study on how this $7.5bn engineering and construction construction group has improved its financial reporting |
4 |
||
| Time Warner supports users in three continents with a strategic market planning and analysis system using an OLAP database server |
5 |
||
| The World Bank uses OLAP tools to perform complex statistical analyses on a mass of worldwide econometric data; 3224 words |
5 |
||
| Reduced processing costs and better analysis using OLAP databases in conjunction with a new general ledger |
4 |
||
| A range of different OLAP tools have been providing management reporting, forecasting and budgeting within different parts of the organization for a number of years |
3 |
||
| Planning and analysis applications have saved $10m and provided more accurate forecasting capabilities for the world's number one check printer |
4 |
||
| OLAP technology was used to provide a vital link between the result of analysis of customers' corporate data and the underlying detailed information, an essential ingredient of selling business information |
4 |
||
| Hundreds of users in various departments get speedy operational reports using a desktop OLAP deployed over a corporate intranet |
5 |
||
| This $10bn plus Anglo-Norwegian multinational had the unusual experience of coping both with its own and its OLAP supplier's mergers. Also see the replacement case study above. |
4 |
||
| This updated case study tracks the bank's successes and challenges with a ROLAP tool front-ending a large data warehouse |
5 |
||
| This Seagrams wine merchant subsidiary implemented a new retail sales data mart in less than a month, from the arrival of the AS/400 server to live running |
3 |
||
| OLAP databases are used for international financial reporting from a mainframe consolidation system |
4 |
||
| An OLAP tool has helped to make more effective allocation of inventory to franchised dealers in order to minimize inventory holdings while maximizing sales and customer service |
4 |
||
| Practicing what it preaches about network-centric computing, Sun has used a networked OLAP tool to implement a new business planning application that is entirely Web-based and uses agents to create business intelligence |
4 |
||
| Thomas Cook has used a desktop OLAP to provide end users with direct access to the data they need, freeing up IT resources for the Year 2000 issue and introduction of the euro |
5 |
|
All information copyright ©2005, Business Application Research Center, all rights reserved.