An action research on building a data driven organization through advocating analytics and data integrity at MNLBank

• Main Author: Basada, Ma. Angelica L.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2020
• Subjects: Commercial statistics; Decision making; Business Analytics
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/5959; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/context/etd_masteral/article/13075/viewcontent/Basada_MaAngelica_11787619_AnActionResearchOnBuildingADataDrivenOrganization_1_Redacted.pdf
• Institution: De La Salle University

As an answer to the President’s call for wider use of analytics throughout the organization, MNLBank (not its real name) has been reorganized to transfer the previously marketing-focused analytics team called Decision Management and Analytics Division (DMAD) to the Office of the President. The mandate of this team is to provide analytics solutions for decision making and strategy development across the organization. Despite the availability analytics resources and this management directive, one of the core challenges of the division has still been the underutilized analytics reports. This two-cycle action research, backed by critical realist philosophy, aims to address this issue through collaboration with DMAD heads and partners from Human Resources Group. To derive business value from data analytics, the approach has been to address the analyst and user’s concerns which were identified through Force Field Analysis. First cycle involves the restructuring of goals for DMAD analysts to include productivity, efficiency, external impact, and internal development. Through this cycle, assignment of projects was reorganized, measures for efficiency were established, feedback from users were implemented, and training and career development plans were put in place. With the implications of pandemic and quarantine measures that forced the bank to operate on a skeletal workforce, the factors affecting analytics usage changed throughout the duration of research. This led the collaborators toward the second cycle of action research which involved the development and implementation of an online analytics training course for Branch Banking Managers for MNLBank. This eight-hour training resulted to improved comfort in using data to present insights and increased appreciation of analytics’ impact in decision making. Through this action research, the collaborators were able to establish a working model that shows transformation of data to business value for MNLBank.