Data Analysis and Business Ethics: Excel and BI Tools Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Business Intelligence (BI) tools, focusing on their growth, common features, and applications. It includes an in-depth examination of Excel's role in data analysis, offering insights into how BI software assists in real-time and historical data analysis for decision-making. The report explores the evolution of BI tools like Tableau, Qlik, and Microsoft BI, highlighting features such as parameters and advanced charts. Furthermore, it delves into business ethics, using the Carillion case as an example to discuss the impact of fraud and the importance of ethical practices. The report also examines changes introduced by firms to mitigate risks, such as compulsory vacations, training, and audits. Overall, this report offers a detailed overview of BI tools, data analysis techniques, and ethical considerations within the business context, supported by figures and references.

EXCEL ASSIGNMENT AND CASE STUDY

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Question 2........................................................................................................................................1
Describe the growth of Business Intelligence in the past few decades.......................................1
Common features of BI tools......................................................................................................3
Question 3........................................................................................................................................4
Business ethics cases...................................................................................................................4
Changes introduced to mitigate risk............................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6
Figure 1Real time social media data................................................................................................1
Figure 2Tool tip feature of Tableau.................................................................................................2

INTRODUCTION
Business Intelligence domain is growing at rapid rate as in past couple of years it is widely
adopted by the business firms. There are number of companies in this domain like Tableau, Qlik,
Microsoft BI and Knowi. BI software assist manager in doing real time and historical data
analysis to make decisions. In the current report, data analysis of facts is done in the excel sheet
and detail discussion is carried out on the BI tools features and charts. Moreover, discussion is
carried out on the business ethics from point of accounts domain. In this way, entire research is
carried out.
Question 2
Describe the growth of Business Intelligence in the past few decades
Business intelligence grow at rapid pace in past couple of years. This is because in current
time period cut throat competition increased in the market. Number of factors are affecting the
business and trend in respect to these factors are changing consistently. This make business
decisions more complex and less reliable. In case conditions keeps on changing consistently
managers can not take decisions that will surly generate fruitful results for the business firm
(Grublješič and Jaklič, 2015). Here, business intelligence comes in use because it on real time
basis provide information to the managers by using which trends that exists currently can be
identified and immediately actions can be taken to solve the problem. Such kind of feature lead
to multiple percentage growth in application of BI tools at the workplace.
Figure 1Real time social media data
(Source: Underwood., J., 2019)
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In past decades many business intelligence software’s comes in existence like Tableau, Qlik,
Microsoft BI and Knowi etc. All these software’s are different from each other in terms of
presentation of interactive charts, flexibility and costing. These software’s are supporting
multiple database like PostgreSQL, MY SQL, Mongo DO and AWS database etc. In starting BI
software’s merely present data in tabular form. Gradually, BI solutions start offering graph
features in software’s (Antoniadis, Tsiakiris and Tsopogloy, 2015). However, there was lack of
flexibility in graphs which was solve later in decade by multiple BI firms. In current time period
in software’s like Tableau multiple parameters can be prepared and attached to the graph and by
doing so only relevant things can be seen in the charts.
In order to make charts more interactive hover feature was introduced in Tableau where
one if click on specific point then that variable portion on multiple charts in the dashboard get
highlighted. Thus, one can see specific variable performance on different fronts on same
dashboard. Such kind of features help managers a lot in making business decisions.
Figure 2Tool tip feature of Tableau
(Source: Create views in tooltips viz in tooltips., 2019)
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As can see in above image just user click on chairs variable, box chart gets populated which
is one of the attractive features in Tableau. Box chart is indicating trend from 2012 to 2014.
Thus, it can be said that in past decades BI technology become more advanced than before.
Success story
Ampush is one of the social media company that is known for adopting innovative
approaches in its business practice. Mentioned firm use Tableau BI solution to view performance
of its advertisements on real time basis. Media analyst at Ampush every hour view ad, ad set and
campaigns performance on Facebook (Sullivian. 2015). Tableau clearly indicate ad’s which are
consistently bleeding or are in loss. Media analyst on time pause those ads on Facebook
manager. This help Ampush to curb loss further and ultimately this lead to earning of profit by
end of day. Tableau assist Ampush team to do extensive research on trends that prevailed across
ad’s, ad set and campaigns in the Facebook and due to this reason analysts were able to tailor
more accurate strategy which lead to consistent increase in earning of profit on social media
marketing business. Thus, it can be said that Tableau assist Ampush in real time performance
tracking and market research which assist company in elevating its business profit.
Common features of BI tools
There are lots of features in the business intelligence tools and some of them are common
across these tools. Some of common features that supports decision making are as follows. Parameters: Parameters are normally observed in all BI tools. It is a type of filter but is
more advanced then former one. Means that like by using filter we can view only specific
sort of data in the screen, in same way by using parameter we can filter out data but in
different and more advanced manner. This feature is available in both Tableau and
Microsoft BI. Under this feature, one set parameter and within it place certain names
which may be variables names (Underwood., 2019). Thereafter, formula is written on
dialog box where one specifies that if one select specific name in the parameter control
box then specific action must take place which must affect visualization or filter our data
for the variables in the chart that is selected in the parameter control box. Thus, in this
way BI solutions ensure that one at its own discretion can view variables in the
dashboard. Advance charts: With passage of time many new advanced charts are developed which
assist analyst in viewing data to more granular level. Heat map, Waffle chart, Bullet chart
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and Tree map are few of examples of such kind of advanced charts. In the Heat map for
few days variables are plotted in box form which contain values of the variable on
specific date. Boxes for single variable are plotted in different colours based on value.
Thus, just be viewing the colours one can easily identify the performance of the variable
on specific date. Waffle chart is another chart where in boxes variables are plotted. This
chart indicate performance on varied stages during specific process. Bullet chart indicate
the actual VS target comparison and finally show viewer whether performance was good
or bad in the business on special front. Hence, such kind of charts are commonly
available across all BI software’s.
Question 3
Business ethics cases
Carillion is the UK giant construction company, recently it was observed to be involved in
fraud case. Company had £1.5 billion debts. Company get in to trap when it was observed that 3
profit related warnings were issued by the management in the 5 months’ time period. On other
hand, company wrote down more than £1 billion of contracts and due to this reason, it become
suspect in eye of relevant authority in the UK. KPMG accountant of the Carillion was held
responsible because it just rubberstamp provided figures. These figures misrepresented the
provided figures and show wrong image of the company which was matter of concern (Murray,
2015). Thus, such kind of fraud cases really affects firm shareholders. In many cases it is
observed that firm even are in loss but show their profitability in the financial statements. Due to
this reason to some extent firm remains in the market but latter on such kind of situation comes
in light in front of the people and shareholders face heavy loss on shares. Thus, there is need to
avoid such kind of situations.
Managers and business owners need to be more ethical so that interests of all
stakeholders can be served in proper manner. Such kind of cases tarnish firm image in eye of
customers and general public. Firms need to make strong control systems so that loopholes that
exist in current accounting systems can be removed.
Changes introduced to mitigate risk
Some of changes that are introduced by the firms to mitigate risks are as follows.
 Compulsory vacations: Now a day, many companies are following a practice under
which they are sending accounts departments few employees on leave. In such case when
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employee is on leave other person work on its place and if there is any discrepancy then it
detects that and forward error to senior officers. By doing so it is ensured that fraud will
be tracked on initial stage.
 Training: Training is given to the employees so that in accounts department one is doing
anything wrong other person on next stage of accounting process can catch that specific
mistake or fraud (Mitigating the risk of internal fraud., 2016). This ensure that fraud will
not be carry forward easily on other stages of accounting.
 Audit: Third party audit can be conducted under which other company auditors will visit
company office and will review its accounts. Firm employees do not know external
auditors and due to this reason, they cannot influence the audit process carrying out in the
company.
CONCLUSION
On basis of above discussion, it is concluded that there is significant importance of BI
solutions for the firms. This is because by using them eye can be kept on the current performance
of the business and historical performance on multiple fronts. Thus, BI tools assist managers in
making prudent business decisions.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Antoniadis, I., Tsiakiris, T. and Tsopogloy, S., 2015. Business Intelligence during times of crisis:
Adoption and usage of ERP systems by SMEs. Procedia-Social and Behavioral
Sciences. 175. pp.299-307.
Grublješič, T. and Jaklič, J., 2015. Business intelligence acceptance: The prominence of
organizational factors. Information Systems Management. 32(4). pp.299-315.
Murray, F.F., 2015. The Need for New Approaches in Making Adjustments to the Tax Accounts
and Tax Returns of Large Partnerships. J. Passthrough Entities. 18. p.11.
Online
Create views in tooltips viz in tooltips., 2019. [Online]. Available through:<
https://help.tableau.com/current/pro/desktop/en-us/viz_in_tooltip.htm>.
Mitigating the risk of internal fraud., 2016. [PDF]. Available through:<
https://www.mcul.org/files/mcul/1/file/Advocacy-&-Outreach/Regulatory%20Documents/
fraud%20risk%20white%20paper.pdf>.
Sullivian., M., 2015. Ampush gets $15M from partner Red Ventures for mobile social advertising
software. Available through:< https://venturebeat.com/2015/10/20/ampush-gets-15m-from-
partner-red-ventures-for-mobile-social-advertising-software/>.
Underwood., J., 2019. [Online]. Real time dashboard today. Available through:<
jenunderwood.com/2015/05/01/real-time-dashboards/>.
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