Bi Canadian Tire

CASE SYNOPSIS The IT group at Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC), located at the headquarters of a network of five major business groups, is faced with developing an implementation plan for the development of a business intelligence (BI) infrastructure and business capability at Canadian Tire Retail (CTR). Concurrent to this initiative is the development and implementation of an IT strategy for CTC that places a number of programs on the priority list, with BI seen as a high priority item for which the organization can score some “quick win” business success.

CTR is a major Canadian retailer of automotive, sports and leisure, and home products. CTR business analysts have had the benefit of working with an information warehouse for the past nine years. However, numerous technological, organizational and people challenges associated with the information warehouse have lead to the realization that a complete redesign of the information warehouse is required. Students are required to analyse the business context of the BI initiative and identify the major challenges that will be associated with its development and implementation over the next 2. years. They will then develop an implementation plan that accounts for these challenges and ensures that CTC will be able to realize the full business value of these investments. Suggested Questions 1. What is BI and how can it help Canadian Tire? In the case there are 10 common challenges of BI implementations, which of these would you rate as most important for Eubanks and Wnek at CTC, and why? How would you address them? 2. To what degree do you think CTC/CTR’s organizational structure influences the business intelligence initiative?

Specifically, what challenges will the shadow IT groups raise for the implementation of the BI strategy? Is this important? Why or why not? 3. Compare the exhibits that depict the current versus the future desired BI infrastructure. What challenges exist for the implementation of the BI initiative? 4. Given your analysis, develop an implementation plan to project completion. This plan must lay out the priorities and address the major challenges you have identified.