1. Business Objects (@SYSCO) Prediction Markets at Google
MIS 501

2. SYSCO A large food service vender with locations spread across NA
Decentralized structure with autonomy at local divisions

3. Mission and Vision
Our path is defined by our specific Mission and Vision statements which guide Sysco associates every day. Our strategy to achieve our Mission and Vision encompasses five points:
Profoundly enrich the experience of doing business with Sysco
Continuously improve productivity in all areas of our business
Expand our portfolio of products and services by initiating a customer-centric innovation program
Explore, assess and pursue new businesses and markets
Develop and effectively integrate a comprehensive, enterprise-wide talent management process

4. SYSCO More than 400,000 clients Wide line of products Sysco brands
Meat and Seafood brands
Specialty products
Services

5. Business Objects
Why did SYSCO want to implement Business Intelligence (BI) software? 
What are the potential benefits of this type of software? 
What types of companies are likely to benefit from the use of BI? 
What types of firms aren't as likely to benefit?

7. BI Options

8. Business Objects
What obstacles will SYSCO face as the BI software is spread through the firm?  
Organizational
Political
Individual

9. Business Objects Why did SYSCO only focus on 2 questions initially?
Why were they supported by Business Objects? 
What are the risks and potential benefits of this approach?

10. Business Objects
Can SYSCO gain a strategic advantage through the use of BI software?
How hard would it be for a competitor to copy SYSCO's BI solution?
How about the ERP Solution? Does that offer differentiation?

11. Business Intelligence
Which types of companies are likely to benefit for Business Intelligence?
Who would likely not benefit?

12. 2 Questions! Why did they only focus on two questions?
Do you think it was just because these are important areas for SYSCO?
What other considerations might Ms. Day be evaluating?

13. Business Objects
Which of the alternative implementation strategies should SYSCO follow?
How will Ms. Day know if she makes the correct choice?
In other words, what are the metrics for defining success?

14. Googles: Prediction Markets
What are Prediction Markets?
What are their components?
How do they work?
What is similar and unique relative to other markets?
What do they tell us?

15. Prediction Markets What does the price of a “stock” mean?
What information is conveyed by the price?

16. Prediction Markets
Why or why wouldn’t prediction markets be better than …
Polling?
Experts?
What is different about markets compared to these other information sources?

18. Wisdom of Crowds? What’s the idea behind the wisdom of crowds?
Do you believe that crowds can be “wise?”
Where does this work? Where doesn’t it work?

19. Crowd Wisdom

20. So, how should these things be run?
How do you motivate participation?
Why wouldn’t financial incentives work at Google?
What did appear to work? Why?

21. So, how should these things be run?
Why are longshot bets a problem?
What do we want traders to focus on when trading?
Is insider trading a problem with corporate prediction markets?

22. Prediction Market Resources
Bo Cogwell’s Blog
Prediction Markets at confab.yahoo
The Science of Success (James Surowiecki
Prediction markets (wikipedia)
Crowdcast (Video)