This paper is a short summary of the major findings of a study based upon sixty-two case studies of organizations that have successful data warehouses in use at their sites. The in-person interviews that provide the basis of the study were conducted in 1995 and 1996. The goal of the project was to examine the financial impact of data warehouses on the core processes contributing to an organizations success. After visiting the organizations at locations ranging from New York City to Juneau, Alaska and Helsinki, Finland, the results are irrefutable: as an investment, data warehouses provide organizations with the ability to deliver astronomical benefits, and fulfill many of technologys longstanding promises.
The lines are blurring among four huge industries: computers, consumer electronics, communications and entertainment. The relentless spread of digital electronics-converting information, sound, video, text, and images into a single stream of ones and zeros that can be decoded by similar electronic hardware is setting up competition, forcing strange alliances and undermining once lucrative businesses. The Wall Street Journal, February 18,1992