Understanding Business Intelligence Understanding: Through Goods- and Service-Dominant Logic Lenses

Business Intelligence (BI) project failure rates are high and expected benefits are not always achieved when implementing a BI solution in an organization. Failure is characterized by recurring challenges that remain largely unresolved. Could a better understanding of BI and its challenges emerge by taking a step back to examine how BI is understood? To answer this overarching research question, this paper presents a philosophical perspective to understand BI understanding as a means to understand the understanding from where BI challenges stem and, ultimately, overcome challenges to realize expected benefits more consistently. BI understanding its model of reality or worldview is examined using a worldview framework, derived from a literature study. Worldview characteristics are identified through a study of how BI is explained in the literature and perceived by those who practise BI as a profession. Goods and Service Dominant Logic are then used as philosophical lenses through which to examine both the worldview characteristics of BI and the challenges experienced when implementing a BI solution. This answers further research questions. First: what are the characteristics of the model of reality or worldview of BI as a discipline? Second: is it plausible that the model of reality held about BI by BI practitioners and academics influences and even represses the realization of benefit? Research is supported through a literature study and an interpretive case study. This paper’s main contribution is the exploration of new avenues to overcome recurring challenges through a unique analysis of BI understanding through G D and S D Logic lenses using the framework of a worldview.