Business Intelligence: what it is and how it is applied
12 March 2025Business intelligence (BI) refers to a set of techniques, tools, and practices used by companies to collect, analyze, and interpret data in order to support decision-making processes.
Gaining strategic insights and using them to improve business performance is at the core of this body of knowledge.
In this context, the use of data collection and analysis technologies and systems has become a crucial factor for companies that want to remain competitive in an increasingly data-driven market.
What is the difference between business intelligence and data analytics?
Although these concepts are often used interchangeably, there are some important differences between the two. Business intelligence primarily focuses on the descriptive analysis of past and present data to obtain insights that can guide operational and strategic decisions. Data analytics is a broader field that also includes predictive analysis, where data is used to make forecasts about future events.
Essentially, business intelligence is a fundamental part of the data analytics process, but it is mainly limited to historical analysis and business reporting.
When was business intelligence born?
The concept of business intelligence emerged in the 1960s when the first reporting and data analysis systems were developed to support business management.
However, the term “business intelligence” was coined only in 1989 by researcher Howard Dresner, who used it to describe a set of technologies that would enable companies to analyze and interpret data more effectively.
With the advent of big data technologies and cloud computing platforms, business intelligence has become accessible to a larger number of companies and equally necessary.
What is the main goal of a business intelligence platform?
The main goal of a BI platform is to collect, manage, and analyze large volumes of business data to obtain strategic insights that can guide decision-making. BI platforms offer reporting tools and interactive dashboards that provide a clear and detailed view of business performance, from financial data to operational management, sales, and marketing.
The ability to transform raw data into useful and easily interpretable information, through the use of data visualization, allows managers to make data-driven decisions, reducing uncertainty and improving business management.
How to become a business intelligence professional?
To become a professional in the field of business intelligence, it is necessary to follow an educational path that combines technical and analytical skills. Typically, a career in BI includes a degree in disciplines such as computer science, engineering, economics, or statistics, although these are not the only paths that lead to further specialization. Specialization can then be achieved through advanced training programs, such as those offered by Bologna Business School.
The Professional Master Artificial Intelligence and Innovation Management, a full-time, 12-month, English-language program sponsored by Lab Cini, a landmark of academic research in computer science, is a training program that, thanks in part to its connection with CINECA, an inter-university consortium and home of the supercomputer Leonardo, is aimed at young graduates who want to become professionals capable of managing innovations.
Another option is the Executive Master Artificial Intelligence for Business, a 12-month, part-time hybrid program in English, aimed at professionals who want to acquire a solid set of skills to leverage the potential of artificial intelligence in a business context.
Intenship at the end of each pathway guarantees, along with the School’s international faculty and powerful global network, preferential entry into the world of work.
The Open Program Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI, is a 5 days part-time, on-campus program in Italian designed to offer an in-depth and practical understanding of how generative AI can be integrated into business processes to enhance productivity and accelerate innovation.
More specifically dedicated to data analytics training are the Professional Master Data Science and Business Analytics, a full-time, 12-month program in English with 500 hours of internships at partner companies, designed for young graduates looking to enter the data analysis field.
The Executive Master in Business Analytics and Data Science is a part-time, hybrid program (part online, part on-campus) in English, offering all the tools to learn how to read, understand, and use data. It serves as a passport to becoming a key player in the world of innovation, techniques, and technologies related to Big Data and data analysis.
The (Big) Data and Artificial Intelligence open program, in Italian, part-time 4-day on-campus + 12 online sessions, was created to fill the knowledge gap that incorporates the most advanced technologies, operational models and innovative methodologies in the market. Designed to promote a critical approach to data analysis, this course strengthens decision-making skills and enhances the value of knowledge for professionals already working in the field.
Business intelligence is an essential field for modern companies that want to gain a competitive advantage, make informed decisions, and optimize operations.
Bologna Business School, with its international faculty and powerful global network, is a gateway to the most exclusive careers in this ever-expanding world.
