Business Analytics and Performance Management

Business analytics (BA) refers to the skills, technologies, applications and practices for continuous iterative exploration and investigation of past business performance to gain insight and drive business planning.[1] Business analytics focuses on developing new insights and understanding of business performance based on data and statistical methods. In contrast, business intelligence traditionally focuses on using a consistent set of metrics to both measure past performance and guide business planning, which is also based on data and statistical methods.

Business analytics makes extensive use of data, statistical and quantitative analysis, explanatory and predictive modeling,[2] and fact-based management to drive decision making. Analytics may be used as input for human decisions or may drive fully automated decisions. Business intelligence is querying, reporting, OLAP, and "alerts".

Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) is a management field of Business Performance Management which considers the visibility of operations in a closed-loop model across all facets of the enterprise. There are several emerging domains in the EPM field which are being driven by corporate initiatives, academic research, and commercial approaches. These include:

1. Strategy Formulation
2. Business Planning and Forecasting
3. Financial Management