Business Strategy Advisor: An Expert Systems Implementation

Abstract

The portfolio method is a well-known technique in the strategic business planning arena. This article examines a prototype expert system as an implementation of an enhanced portfolio approach. The purpose of the system is to help users analyze their organization' s existing or planned products, and then it recommends appropriate business strategies for the products. This article describes the underlying conceptual model of the system and its implementation and presents ideas for future developments in this area

Notes

Matthias Schumann is a member of the Betriebswirt-schaftliches Institut of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, West Germany and was a visiting scientist at IBM' Los Angeles Scientific Center. He holds an MBA from the University of Goettingen, West Germany and a PhD degree from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg

Patricia Gongla is a scientific staff member at the IBM LASC. She holds a BS from Saint Peter' s College and MA and PhD degrees from Case Western Reserve University

Kyoung-Sang Lee is a research scientist at the Korean Advanced Institute of Systems and Technology (KAIST) He has a BA from SungKyunKwan University and an MA from KAIST and held a research residency at the IBM LASC

J. Gene Sakamoto is a senior scientific staff member at the IBM LASC. He holds a BS and an MBA from the University of California at Los Angeles.