conference

Location Technology & Business Intelligence Executive Symposium
Expanding the Role of Location Technology in Business
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
May 10-11, 2004

The Wharton School and Directions Magazine invite you to attend an executive symposium convened to discuss the applications of location technology and business intelligence. The conference will feature a single track with panelists from both industry and the technology community to focus on the competitive advantages afforded by location-based intelligence and geographic information. We hope you will consider attending.

Goals of the Conference

To discuss the strategic benefits of developing, deploying, and using spatial information and location technology throughout the business units and departments of corporations.
To discuss the challenges of integrating business intelligence solutions and spatial information.
To determine how to leverage “location intelligence” for specific applications in retailing, banking, insurance, real estate, transportation, and media.
To learn about technology trends in spatial database technology, wireless location-based services, and Internet web services.
To discuss how chief information officers should view and exploit location intelligence to maximize sales opportunities and mitigate competitive threats.

Over the past decade, geographic information systems (GIS) have been used within private industry to support certain specific challenges within business units. Now, businesses have begun to understand that within corporate databases exist vast resources of location intelligence that can be leveraged throughout the enterprise. The information captured by customer addresses or zip code at the point of sale conveys information not only about the type of purchase but triggers events needed by inventory managers, logistics and transportation, as well as marketing and sales. This “ripple effect” is inherently location-based in many instances and serves as a signal to CIOs and CTOs that location can be an effective strategic weapon.

The purpose of this symposium is to develop a better understanding, through the presentation of case studies, of how some companies have benefited from information systems, business intelligence, and database technology that support geographically referenced data. A variety of applications for site selection, risk mitigation, logistics, and market research will be discussed. New trends for developing technologies in wireless location-based services and web services will be addressed. But perhaps most important is how all departments within a company can leverage the same data without duplicating expenses for software and data acquisition. Our closing session is one that will discuss the challenges and ideas for enterprise deployment of location technology and the cost-benefits of developing databases that are location “aware.”

This symposium is also about discussing mutual challenges. Software solution providers in the business intelligence and spatial information management arenas will be on hand (See Sponsorship Opportunties for the vendor expo) to discuss their technology in an exhibition showcase that allow attendees to see current technology applications. They will also sit on panels to specifically address challenges set forth by the case studies presented by a panel of users. If you wish to be considered for a speaker at this event, click here for the Speaker Proposal Form.

For more information contact:
Paul Amos
Wharton GIS Lab Research Director
amosp@wharton.upenn.edu
(215) 898-4256

For Sponsorship Opportunities contact:
Joe Francica
Editor & General Manager, Directions Magazine
Joe.Francica@DirectionsMag.com
(256) 650-0205

DRAFT AGENDA
Location Technology & Business Intelligence Executive Symposium
Expanding the Role of Location Technology in Business

May 10, 2004

7:30 - 8:30	Registration and Continental Breakfast
8:30 – 9:00	Welcome
9:00 – 10:00	Keynote Address
10:00 – 10:45	Break hosted by a GOLD SPONSOR - Reception Break in Exhibit Hall
10:45 – 12:15	Plenary & Panel Session Location Technology & BI An Enterprise View of Leveraging Location-based Information
12:15 – 1:15	Lunch: KEYNOTE – Hosted by PLATINUM SPONSOR
1:15 – 2:45	Plenary & Panel Session Intelligence About Customers It Starts with Location (CRM & Market Analysis)
2:45 – 3:30	Break Hosted by GOLD SPONSOR - Reception Break in Exhibit Hall
3:30 – 5:00	Plenary & Panel Session The Real Estate Decision Process Site Viability and the Ripple Effect for Marketing and Merchandising
5:00 – 7:00	Exhibitor Showcase - Open Bar - Dinner Buffet Hosted by PLATINUM SPONSOR

May 11, 2004

7:30- 8:30	Registration and Continental Breakfast in Exhibit Hall - Announcements
8:30 – 10:00	Plenary & Panel Session Meeting Higher Expectations of Customer Service Field Service & Logistics
10:00 – 10:45	Break hosted by a GOLD SPONSOR - Reception Break in Exhibit Hall
10:45 – 12:15	Plenary & Panel Session Risk Mitigation in Finance and Insurance
12:15 – 1:15	Lunch: KEYNOTE – Hosted by PLATINUM Sponsor
1:15 – 2:45	Plenary & Panel Session A Mobile and Global Workforce Location-based Services to Facilitate Corporate Communications
2:45 – 3:30	Break Hosted by GOLD SPONSOR - Reception Break in Exhibit Hall
3:30 – 4:45	Panel Session Enterprise Interoperability How to Make Location Technology Work with Finance, HR, and Other Enterprise Systems
4:45 – 5:00	Closing Remarks

Location Technology & BI
An Enterprise View of Leveraging Location-based Information
Case studies in this session will provide an overview of where CIOs have identified the spatial components in their data warehouses and how they intend to leverage the business intelligence that can be gained from it. This session will also discuss the benefits, cost, and return of developing an enterprise database that is spatially-enabled. The session will cover the issues surrounding deployment and the applications that can take advantage of spatial information such as Customer Relationship Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, and Supply Chain Management.

Intelligence About Customers
It Starts with Location (CRM & Market Analysis)
Case studies in this session will demonstration how organization are using location technology to analyze and visualize marketing opportunities in a specific geographic territory. Special emphasis will be given to those case studies that show how to make sales agents more effective and how marketing promotions can be targeted with more precision at a specific audience, as well as how customer services has been improved.

The Real Estate Decision Process
Site Viability and the Ripple Effect for Marketing and Merchandising
Case studies in this session will demonstrate the methodology for developing sales forecasting and land valuation. Particular emphasis will be given to those case studies where applications of real estate appraisal, retail network planning, and land or property inventory management. The session will also reflect the use of location technology and spatial information to facilitate the site selection, lease renewal, closure, asset management, and marketing of retail establishments. Particular emphasis will be given to those case studies that demonstrate how spatial information was used throughout the store lifecycle to evaluate site viability.

Meeting Higher Expectations of Customer Service
Field Service & Logistics:
Case studies in this session will demonstrate how transportation and service companies utilize location technology in fleet management, field service management, supply chain management, and logistics. Special emphasis will be given to those applications that demonstrate how the deployment of routing and scheduling software solutions provided a dramatic return on investment. Examples of how significant reduction of fuel, maintenance, and personnel cost resulted from investment in transportation logistics solutions.

Risk Mitigation in Finance and Insurance
Case studies in this session will discuss how location technology can be deployed throughout enterprises where there is significant exposure due to location factors: weather, crime, natural disasters. Special emphasis will be given to those applications that demonstrate how a corporate database of location-based information was used in a variety of business units especially in the insurance industry, such as underwriting and risk mitigation, marketing, field service management, sales, and emergency response planning.

A Mobile and Global Workforce
Location-based Services to Facilitate Corporate Communications
Case studies in this session will demonstrate how wireless location-based services (LBS) technology is being deployed to field service and sales personnel. They will demonstrate what type of information can be most effectively deployed to an increasingly mobile workforce. The session will discuss the benefits of personal navigation, vehicle tracking, RFID, LBS for WiFi and future location services.

Enterprise Interoperability
How to Make Location Technology Work with Finance, HR, and Other Enterprise Systems
This will be a panel discussion to summarize where future discussions between business intelligence and the geospatial community can find common ground. What are the challenges and how are CIOs poised to address solutions.