TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction 1
2.0 Business Process Automation 1
3.0 Business Intelligence 3
3.1 Business Data 3
3.2 Business Intelligence 4
3.3 Business Performance Improvements 5
4.0 Conclusion 6
5.0 Bibliography 8

1.0 INTRODUCTION

SmartBusiness Consulting Inc. is a marketing firm which specializes in developing marketing strategies for small businesses. It is located in the Greater Toronto Area. Through a report prepared by the Institute for Research on Labour and Employment at UC Berkley, the turnover in management positions usually costs 150% of that individual’s salary. However, within the first year of employment, 46% of new hires leave. As well, 43% of 26-39-year-olds expect to leave within three years. Recently, SmartBusiness Consulting Inc. has experienced a high staff turnover rate and lost 10% of their consultant. The company hopes to use some information system to better manage their human resource, find methods to automate tasks, and to extract business intelligence from the automation procedure.

2.0 BUSINESS PROCESS AUTOMATION

Through the advancement in technology, business processes can be automated and enhanced to become more efficient. Automation simplifies an organization’s process to reduce costs. SmartBusiness Consulting Inc. wishes to manage and retain their human capital. This main business process in human resource management will be broken down into eight processes and whether it could be partially or fully automated will be discussed further.
1. Establishing positions within the company: Manual – human resources have to identify a need within the company based on mangers requests and department productivity from clients satisfaction before establishing job positions
2. Hiring employees process: Partially Automated – human resources need to identify qualifications, have the supervisor’s approval, and interview applicants manually; however, job postings can be fully automated online
3. Background checking employee’s process: Partially Automated – human resources can conduct an online search the potential employee’s Internet uses for any inappropriate behaviour, criminal record checks are available online even though a fee is required; however, the company must manually conduct reference checking and calling the potential employee’s previous employers
4. Employee training programs: Partially Automated – prepared packages of training modules can be provided at once with the guidance of a current staff to elaborate difficult concepts
5. Evaluating employees’ job performance: Partially Automated – a part of the evaluation can be assessed on a scales of 1-5 while the other part can be a written assessment
6. Enrolling employees in benefits plans: Partially Automated – the choice of what kinds of benefits given to an individual are manually processed but there may be a system for executing certain benefits for all employees such as health and insurance plans
7. Establishing work hours and payroll system: Fully Automated – set work hours with an electronic time card system and payroll system can direct deposit money into employees’ bank accounts or print cheques
8. Compensation policies: Manual – Additional consulting fees, paid absences and overtime payments are determined and approved by the managers in each department
9. Creating code of conduct within the company: Manual – conflict resolution and dress codes are determined by human resources and head managers
10. Employee separation procedures: Manual – termination of employment is usually done in person
11. Recording employee information and file maintenance: Fully Automated – employee information can be stored in files in the main company computer and archived

3.0 BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

Automation of business processes provides business intelligence. Data is collected and stored and the information collected from the data can be used to improve business performance.
3.1 BUSINESS