5 Reasons to Earn a DBA in Business Intelligence
The business landscape is evolving and increasingly unpredictable. Digital acceleration, the waves of the pandemic, geopolitical uncertainty, a volatile financial market and other factors leave us wondering, “what’s next?” Yet, despite these fluctuating circumstances, there is one guarantee for the future of business – organizations need leaders with business intelligence (BI) skills who can make data-informed decisions.
An online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Business Intelligence prepares you to meet today’s challenges with ethical leadership skills, actionable research and highly personalized coursework related to your specific career goals. Discover the benefits of a Doctorate in Business Administration and the top reasons why a DBA will benefit you, your organization and the future of business.
What is Business Intelligence (BI)?
Business intelligence (BI) is a discipline that combines business analytics, data mining, data visualization, data tools and infrastructure and best practices to allow organizations to make strategic data-driven decisions. Organizations use business intelligence and analytics to create a holistic view of business data and use this dashboard to communicate between teams, identify and eliminate operational inefficiencies, develop products and services faster and drive organizational change.
Professionals working in the field of BI perform several essential tasks that provide their companies with actionable insights, including:
- Business analytics
- Data mining
- Data visualization
- Data tools and infrastructure
- Best practices for data-driven decision making
What is a DBA degree?
Many professionals interested in business analytics pursue a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree. A DBA degree is a post-graduate doctoral program designed for business professionals with experience in their industry. It is often the next step for those with a master's in a business-related program. A DBA in Business Analytics exists at the intersection of technology and business; it produces ethical business leaders with hard skills related to data analytics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and other relevant skills related to the latest technologies and methodologies.
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What’s the difference between a DBA and a PhD?
A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in business both grant students doctoral degrees that allow them to engage in advanced study, examinations and research projects surrounding business administration to earn the highest credentials in business education. However, a DBA vs. PhD in business targets different academic and career goals.
The DBA is a professional degree that teaches students how to transfer theoretical knowledge to a real-world business setting. Students enrolled in a DBA intend to:
- Enhance their ability to solve business-related problems in their role
- Contribute to their management skills
- Gain critical skills through research methods
- Become a thought leader in their industry
- Network to build international connections
The PhD in Business is a theoretical research degree that allows students to develop original research related to business theory and models. Students enrolled in a PhD in Business intend to:
- Further their research abilities
- Pursue journal publications
- Learn business theory and academic applications
- Gain the certification necessary to teach in academic institutions
- Teach their knowledge to future business students
5 Reasons to Earn a DBA in Business Intelligence
There are numerous benefits of a Doctorate in Business Administration in Business Intelligence, including increased career options and the financial returns of a DBA degree salary. But, perhaps most importantly, DBA graduates can transform into ethical, conscious and influential leaders with practical skills to create a better world.
Whether a graduate improves health care outcomes, measures climate change efforts or becomes a key decision-maker in their local government, a DBA in Business Intelligence opens a wealth of opportunities for motivated business professionals.
We identified five ways a DBA in Business Intelligence can help business professionals build skills, enhance career opportunities and make an impact on the future of business.
1. Develop cutting-edge skills related to data analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning
The world is changing, and the job market requires new skills in response. In the United States, there is a high demand for professionals with skills in business intelligence and data analytics. Over the past few years, business intelligence has matured to include the most in-demand skills in today’s job market. Professionals with C-suite technical skills will see the greatest increases in demand, especially those with skills related to artificial intelligence (+160%), data science (+140%) and machine learning techniques (+90%).
In addition to AI, data science and ML skills, students enrolled in a DBA in Business Intelligence learn the following Business Intelligence processes:
- Data mining: Using raw data sets, statistics and machine learning to locate trends in large databases
- Reporting: Communicating data analytics and results to executives, teams and stakeholders to build a strategy and make decisions
- Performance metrics and benchmarking: Comparing present business performance data to historical trends and tracking goals using dashboards
- Descriptive analytics: Identifying what happened in the past based on preliminary data analysis
- Statistical analysis: Exploring population data and other statistical information using descriptive analytics
- Data visualization: Designing visual representations to make data more consumable, including charts, graphs, imagery and histograms
- Visual analysis: Examining data through graphic storytelling to make the findings, hypothesis and patterns more clear
- Data preparation: Organizing and compiling data sources, determining measurements and “cleaning” and preparing data for data analysis
2. Make strategic data-informed decisions
Data-driven decision-making is the fuel that runs successful and efficient organizations. As a result, companies are doubling down on data analytics and increasingly investing in business intelligence. For example, global spending on big data and business analytics (BDA) solutions are forecast to reach $215.7 billion this year (an increase of 10.1% over 2020). The same sources show that the banking, manufacturing and professional services industries are making the most significant investments in big data and analytics solutions.
Students enrolled in a DBA in Business Intelligence use business intelligence tools to solve problems and direct organizational decisions. The practical coursework teaches DBA graduates how to:
- Use statistical methods to increase an organization’s operational efficiency
- Employ microeconomic and macroeconomic approaches to solve business problems from a global lens
- Build cutting-edge platforms and dashboards to enable data-driven insights
- Communicate findings to key decision-makers
- Ensure data collection is ethical, transparent and complies with privacy regulations
3. Increase job opportunities and career mobility
One of the most immediate benefits of a Doctorate in Business Administration is access to advanced career opportunities. Mid- to senior-level business professionals working full-time may pursue a DBA degree to progress into C-suite leadership roles. An online DBA prepares students for leadership roles across many favored industries, including professional, scientific and technical services; government; manufacturing; and health care and social assistance.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the most common career paths and roles for DBA graduates include:
- Chief executive officer (CEO)
- Management consultant
- Organizational development director
- Senior business analyst
4. Earn a DBA degree salary and increase your lifetime earning potential
The most tangible return on investment (ROI) for DBA students is a DBA degree salary. DBA graduates may advance in their careers and work as CEOs, senior business analysts and other top leadership roles. As of May 2021, the median annual wage for top executives in the United States is $179,520. According to U.S. News & World Report, roles for DBA graduates are projected to grow by eight percent through 2026, and management consultant roles are projected to grow by 12 percent during the same time. The following common career paths for DBA graduates demonstrate the possible DBA degree salary range:
- Chief executive officer (CEO): $179,520
- Management consultant: $93,000
- Organizational development director: $120,130
- Senior business analyst: $103,180
5. Inspire change as an ethical business leader
Business leaders with experience and skills related to business intelligence can redefine their organizational strategy to prepare for the “What’s Next Economy.” Leaders with BI knowledge can inspire organizational change by determining key performance indicators (KPIs) for success, enhancing cross-team collaboration, better managing risk and compliance, launching impactful marketing campaigns and forecasting trends. These actions deliver a more profitable, efficient and intelligent business model.
In addition to enhancing operational efficiency, business leaders with BI skills are more conscious and ethical leaders. In an era of digital technology and regulation, ethics in data are top-of-mind. Organizations are under pressure to meet new regulations and protect data. A DBA in BI helps leaders to:
- Define data standards and values
- Align the organizational mission to daily actions
- Determine data ownership and mitigate risk
- Use data to improve company culture and hire talent
- Build a data-ethic dashboard
- Track impact and success over time
Case Study: A Business Intelligence Specialist Helps Hospitals During the Pandemic
Leaders used business intelligence and analytics during the COVID-19 pandemic as health care teams scrambled to forecast and contain the spread of the virus, improve patient outcomes and inform decisions. Sri Vijay is a Business Intelligence (BI) Specialist on the Analytics and Decision Support team at North York General Hospital (NYGH) in Toronto. Vijay has used data and analytics to enable the hospital’s clinical staff and senior leadership to deliver better patient care.
“People across the organization reach out to me with problems, and I bring solutions to them through data and visualizations,” he says. Vijay provided life-saving information to help hospitals prepare their staff during the pandemic. His team rapidly built and deployed a real-time COVID-19 dashboard using Cognos Analytics and IBM PureData systems for Analytics. The cutting-edge technologies and BI methodologies provided critical information that ultimately saved lives.
Lead the Data-Driven Future of Business with a DBA in Business Intelligence
Are you a highly motivated and passionate business leader interested in data, actionable insights and decision-making? Do you enjoy applying statistics and historical records to real-world challenges? Do you aspire to become an influential thought leader in your industry?
If so, consider the online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Business Intelligence program at Marymount University Online. Business Intelligence will position you as a leader in the modern marketplace. In a personalized curriculum, you will engage in actionable research, developing strategies to navigate the changing economy and make decisions based on relevant data. In less than three years, you can graduate from our 100% online program.
Prepare to lead and set digital strategy with a DBA in Business Intelligence.
Why Marymount University?
Our interdisciplinary DBA program is highly personalized, allowing you to conduct original applied research directly related to your career goals. There are no residencies required, so you can advance your career without putting it on hold in our fully online and part-time format.
Marymount’s online DBA in Business Intelligence is:
- Cost-effective: This part-time program costs $1,140 per credit hour, for a total tuition investment of $41,040
- Accelerated: With intakes in the fall and spring, it is possible to complete 36 credit hours needed to graduate in just under three years (eight terms)
- Connected: Build connections with diverse, accomplished and supportive faculty based in the nation’s capital, home to the most educated workforce in the country
Train to become a data-focused business leader by earning your DBA at Marymount University.