The Benefits and Challenges of Implementing BI Systems: A Case Study of Northwind.

This thesis originated from my curricular internship at Bios Management S.r.l., a rapidly growing company operating in various fields of industrial process management, from human resource management to Enterprise Performance Management (EPM). Bios' clientele includes national and international banks, consulting firms among the famous "Big Four," and large corporations. The company's flexibility enables it to serve both small entities like SMEs and large industrial groups. The primary goal of this thesis is to examine the evolution of Business Intelligence (BI) in the corporate context. In an era where organizations must quickly analyze large volumes of data to remain competitive, BI tools become essential, even though their application can be challenging, particularly for small businesses. Innovation plays a crucial role in this context. To write this thesis the references used are interviews, and, above all, my field experience at Bios. The thesis is structured in the following chapters: In the first chapter, an attempt is made to provide a clear and comprehensive explanation of the concept of Business Intelligence, with a historical overview of this field and a description of its roots. The second chapter introduces the software used during the internship (Board) and provides a general overview of its capabilities. The third chapter focuses on a business case study, particularly the Northwind project, to provide a practical illustration of the concepts discussed in the previous chapters. The final chapter focuses on the role of the BI consultant, how they can bring value to companies, and how the market for such software has evolved in recent years. The aim is to provide a comprehensive view of the world of BI, starting with a general explanation and gradually deepening the topic to a concrete business case. The final chapter offers an overview of career opportunities in this field.