9 June 2014

On June 3, 2014, the Centre Laurent-Beaudoin of the  Université de Sherbrooke’s Faculty of Administration launched the Business Intelligence Pole (PIE). The objective of this new organization, which will provide integrated business intelligence services, is to meet the ever-growing needs of companies while fostering the dissemination of scientific and multidisciplinary research.

You’ve certainly already been asked for your postal code by a cashier when shopping. This is an example of business intelligence. “When cross-referenced with various external data, this information helps create your socio-demographic portrait. The resulting consumer profiles refine marketing strategies and enable companies to implement targeted offers,” explains the Université de Sherbrooke’s Web site.

Companies gather data to make the best possible business decisions. However, with all the data available, business leaders may have problems determining which information is relevant. “We will be in a position to support them, from data collection to strategy development,” says Louis Côté, Vice-Dean of Executive Education, Director General of the Centre Laurent-Beaudoin, and Manager of the PIE.

“By creating the Pole, we want nothing less than to develop a culture of intelligence within Quebec companies by providing them with a university vector for development,” adds Daniel Chamberland-Tremblay, a professor who specializes in business intelligence strategy, and who is part of the PIE’s team.

The Pole project began after four years of ideas and planning. “We researched similar services, particularly in France, Japan, and Scandinavian countries, and we found out that nothing comes close to what is being done in Quebec,” says Mr. Côté.

Under this initiative, the Faculty of Administration’s Centre Laurent-Beaudoin has relied on two partners for now: the L’Espérance family–whose main shareholder is businessman André L’Espérance–which made a donation of $1 million, and Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, which will contribute  $250 000 to the PIE over five years.

Sources: Université de Sherbrooke and La Tribune