A new research hub being created at Brock University will strengthen interdisciplinary research collaboration on data analytics across the University.

The Centre for Business Analytics (CBA) will bring together faculty from various disciplines across the University, as well as alumni and industry partners for a common purpose.

The Centre will be led by Anteneh Ayanso, professor of information systems and chair of the Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems at the Goodman School of Business.

Following the introduction of the business analytics specialization in Goodman’s MBA program in 2014, one of the first of its kind in Canada, the Centre will build on the University’s capabilities to bring together various fields within the world of big data and further data-driven research.

The Centre’s objectives include: supporting an interdisciplinary team of data analytics researchers; acting as a source of expertise for both public and private sectors; and fostering a training hub for the next generation of data scientists.

CBA will partner with external organizations and software and application providers to maximize their impact and has already developed a relationship with SAS, a leading analytics software provider that is widely used in the field.

Executives and managers are increasingly making business decisions based on data, making it more important for recent graduates to be trained in the field.

“It is critical for Brock to keep up to the pace of the fast-moving business world and to respond to marketplace needs through our research and student training efforts,” says Barry Wright, interim dean of Brock’s Goodman School of Business. “This Centre will allow the University to do just that.”

From major league sports to banking and retailing, big data has allowed organizations to gather enormous amounts of data on every aspect of their business models.

“As a challenging academic frontier, big data analytics requires a new approach and ecosystem,” says Ayanso, director of the Centre for Business Analytics.

“With the establishment of this Centre, Brock will join few institutions in Canada that are leading this research frontier. This new collaborative research environment will not only substantiate our presence and leadership in analytics training, but also give us a unique competitive advantage in attracting scholars and graduate students.”

“We are eager to start this fall and to be able to work in partnership with our Brock colleagues in all other faculties and also to have a new way of providing students with in-demand training that will serve them well in their careers.”

CBA membership is open to all Brock faculty and staff members who can contribute to the Centre’s objectives. The Centre will have regular calls to expand its membership. Interested members can learn more by contacting Ayanso at aayanso@brocku.ca. Brock students are also welcome to attend member committee meetings and graduates in the field of analytics are encouraged to become CBA affiliates.

Guided by an advisory committee, the member committee is currently comprised of the following Brock faculty members:

• S. Ejaz Ahmed (Department of Mathematics and Statistics)
• Anteneh Ayanso (Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems)
• Ernest Biktimirov (Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems)
• John Bonnett (Department of History)
• Kareen Brown (Department of Accounting)
• Zhongzhi (Lawrence) He (Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems)
• Martin Kusy (Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems)
• Walid Ben Omrane (Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems)
• Roelof Makken (Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems)
• Kevin Mongeon (Department of Sport Management)
• Reena Yoogalingam (Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems)

Anteneh Ayanso, professor of information systems and chair of the Department of Finance, Operations and Information Systems at the Goodman School of Business