INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - BIG DATA

Assessment item 1—Assignment 1 Specifications

Objectives

This assessmentitem relates to course learning outcomes numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 as stated on the course profile.

Assignment 1: You are to write a report on Big Data Technology and services based on the given Case study for PART A: Alana’s Retail Clothing House (ARCH).  For Part B you can choose research any organization using Big Data Solutions. You can do online research to find the organizations who are involved in Big Data Solutions. Your report should address

1.    What Big Data is, and the difference between Online and Offline Big Data

2.    How to select the right Big Data application for your business, project and desired outcomes.

3.    What are technologies available in Big Data?

4.    Business Impact of Big Data

5.    Organizational Impact of Big Data

Part A (maximum 1000 words)   (20%)

This part emphasizes on the use of Big Data and its applications. Students are required to demonstrate research in the area of Big Data and its solutions.

 Over the past several years the retail sector has been bombarded with challenges. Brick-and Mortar stores have closed in record numbers and continue to do so. Indeed virtually every member of the entire industry is at high risk. They are vexed by several threats ranging from increased competition from online super-shopper sites such as Amazon to a plethora of more brand-specific problems, such as lack of differentiators, pricing pressures, muddled marketing messaging, poor businesses processes, online pricing/brand comparison sites, customer reviews on their own websites, vulnerability to customer social messaging, and an overall disconnection with buying public. One of the retail sectors is Alana’s Retail Clothing House (ARCH). ARCH former strategies in merchandising, merchandise selection, pricing models, customer service, and marketing are no longer working as effectively as they have in the past. They are planning to introduce a new product into themarket. However, in recenttimes the company has madesome bad investment decisions which in turn have impacted their profit bottom line. Thus the senior management requires a thorough analysis ofevery new productthatis introduced to the market. As a senior Data analyst, you have beenappointed to advise the senior management on the feasibility of thenew product.

Your task is to suggest ways how Big Data Solutions can help Alana’s Retail Clothing House.  You need to write a report to the senior management on Product selection and pricing, using Big Data to develop new pricing models, to find better ways to get more, better, and cleaner customer data which can help profitability. 

PART B: (maximum 1000 words)                                                        (15%)

You are required to select and examine anexisting company that is currently using business intelligence and decision support systems using Big Data as part of its business strategy. In orderfor you to meet therequirements ofthis Part B, you need to answer thefollowing questions:

1.     Discuss in detail what kind of Big Data online or offline is being used for the business. How the organization of chose the right Big Data application for their business.

2.     Discuss in detail what Big Data tools and techniques are usedbythe organization to support its business operations or processes. Provide examples on how those tools and techniques are used in theorganization.

3.  What improvements/enhancementscan be observed from this company as compared to other companies within the same industry when using Big data?  What are the Business and Organizational impact using Big Data?

4.   How do you think Big Data solutions provide values to business intelligence to yourchosen company and itscustomers?

5.  What are the main factors that influence the success of business intelligence in thecompany?

You need to use at least three (5) academic references in your analysis.

Submission of Assessments

The assignment is to be submittedasone files usingthe electronic assignment submission system thatcan beaccessed from the link on the course website.