Analysis of GIS-Software – a GIS software market survey in the business to consumer (B2C) and business to business (B2B) market

Design and development of a criteria catalogue built up on a classification pattern refer to professional GIS-(Geographical Information Systems) desktop software


Bachelor Thesis, 2007

82 Pages, Grade: 2,0


Excerpt


Contents

2 List of Figures

3 List of Tables

4 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

5 Introduction
5.1 Hypothesis and definition of the aims of the bachelor thesis
5.2 Description of the methodology of the bachelor thesis

6 Description of the project ‚Analysis of Prof. GIS-Desktop SW’
6.1.1 Overview of the project ‚Analysis of Prof. GIS-Desktop SW’
6.2 Project framework
6.3 Information about project matter
6.4 Description ‚cascade model’ – a procedure model for the bachelor thesis research process
6.5 Description about the Project ‚Analysis GIS-SW’
6.6 Phases and milestones of the project
6.7 Project Overview: GANT Chart

7 Topics
7.1 GIS-Software Market Overview
7.1.1 Description market research company Daratech Inc.
7.1.2 The Prof. GIS-SW Market 2003
7.1.3 The Prof. GIS-SW Market 2006
7.2 GIS-Software Systems Overview
7.2.1 Types of GIS SW systems
7.2.2 The structure and logic of GIS SW
7.2.3 The difference between Desktop and network GI
7.2.4 Understand the architecture of GIS-Desktop Software
7.3 Developing process of the criteria catalogue
7.4 Description of raw- and fine criteria of a Prof. Desktop GIS-SW system according to the results of the primary research phase (qualitative interviews)
7.5 Description, benchmarking process and design of the criteria catalogue
7.6 Discussion about the results of the primary research phase (qualitative interviews)
7.6.1 Design of the interview process
7.6.2 Conception of the interviews and visualisation of the questionnaire
7.6.3 Final results of the qualitative interviews of the b2c & b2b companies interviewed
7.7 Analyzed reference Professional GIS-Desktop Systems
7.7.1 Professional GIS-Desktop System ‚Arc Info’ (ESRI Inc.)
7.7.2 Professional GIS-Desktop System ‚MapInfo’ (MapInfo)
7.7.3 Professional GIS-Desktop System ‚GeoMedia’ (INTERGRAPH)

8 Conclusion and Views Forward

9 Literature
9.1 Literature
9.2 Online Sources (proquest database)
9.2.1 Online Sources to the reference systems of Prof. GIS-Desktop Software

10 Appendix
10.1 Conception and design of the questionnaires for the structured interviews
10.1.1 Questionnaire ‚WIGeoGIS GmbH’
10.1.2 Questionnaire ‚GISquadrat GmbH’
10.1.3 Questionnaire ‚RegioData GmbH’
10.1.4 Questionnnaire ‚ÖBB Immobilienmanagement GmbH’

2 List of Figures

Figure 1 research- and criteria catalogue process, own source

Figure 2 The Cascade Model, own source

Figure 3 GANT Chart of the project ‘Analysis of GIS-SW system’, own source

Figure 4 GIS 2003 software vendor market share

Figure 5 GIS 2006 software vendor market share

Figure 6 classical three tier architecture of a GIS-SW system

Figure 7 Centralized desktop GIS architecture

Figure 8 excerpt of the design of the criteria catalogue, basic criteria and quantifier, own source

Figure 9 Screenshot of ESRI ArcGIS Arc Info – Desktop GI

Figure 10 Screenshot of MAP Info Prof. – Desktop GI

Figure 11 Screenshot of INTEGRAPH ‘GeoMedia’

3 List of Tables

Table 1 conception of phase models of the bachelor thesis project, own source

Table 2 Conception of a phase-model, plan of project phase, own source

Table 3 project milestone plan, own source

Table 4 conception of a phase model, own source

Table 5 Different types of GIS SW systems

Table 6 Comparison of desktop and network GI

Table 7 Listing of Basic criteria with description of raw and fine definition, own source

Table 8 Description new criteria raw and fine definition included, own source

4 List of Acronyms and Abbreviations

illustration not visible in this excerpt

5 Introduction

"Der Wechsel allein ist das Beständige."

(Quadbeck-Seeger, H.-J. 2002)

This Bachelor thesis deals with geographic information system software in the traditional GIS-Desktop SW range. The idea of this literature work and qualitative field study is to arrange the concept of a criterion catalogue as a decisive base for the acquisition of the market segment‚ professional GIS-Desktop SW systems of Business to Consumer (B2C) and Business to Business enterprise (B2B) serves. A basis for the production of a criterion catalogue was the analysis of the extracts of the GIS-Research study of the company Daratech, Inc from the year 2006 [Dara06]. This criterion catalogue should be developed for Business to consumer (B2C) companies that have the application already in use or decide towards this market segment in the close future. For these B2C companies the criterion catalogue was created in this work and should become an important high-class instrument for future purchase decisions of the market segment‚ Professional Desktop GIS-Software (Prof. Desktop GIS-SW).

In accordance to the current scientific literature “criterion catalogue” of the coarse criteria and fine criteria do not to date exist (publicly not accessibly) on the segment Prof. Desktop GIS-SW systems that summarises as a research basis on qualitative interviews (primary research) and literature studies (secondary analysis) to be based on.

This work contains the following main chapters: ‘Introduction’ (chapter 5), ‘project description’ (chapter. 6), ‘GIS-SW Market Overview’ (chapter. 7.1), ‘GIS-Software systems overview’ (chapter 7.4), ‘ developing process of the criteria catalogue’ (chapter 7.5), ‘Discussion about the results of the primary research phase’ (chapter 7.6) and ‘Analyzed reference Prof. GIS-Desktop Systems’ (chapter 7.7). The final chapter ‘Conclusion and views forward’ (chapter 8) sums up the main parts of this work and shows cognition results of the primary research phase as well as other modelling and design possibilities of the introduced criteria catalogue.

5.1 Hypothesis and definition of the aims of the bachelor thesis

This work lights up the basic questions with the concept, planning and production of a criterion catalogue in view of the problem formulation of this Bachelor's work is the Hypothesis as follows:

“Which qualitative criteria are important for a Prof. GIS-Desktop system in the b2c and b2b sector to saturate the GIS- business/business model for their customers/company's?”

The question shall demonstrate in particular how possible criteria in the research sphere‚ ‘professional desktop software - geographic information systems’ can be pulled up for the evaluation. The idea of this work is the production of a criterion catalogue for B2B&B2C firms/students/science staff for the qualitative evaluation of the market segment “professional GIS-Desktop SW systems” is pulled up and should demonstrate therefore a critical overview about this market segment in the range of GIS-Desktop SW. Beside, the finished criterion catalogue should be customizable specifically for the requirements of the respective company by separated weighting (quantifier) from primary & secondary research phases to resultant criteria. In particular, the criterion catalogue should be integrated actively into the call for tender’s process by new acquisition of new GIS-Desktop SW of system.

5.2 Description of the methodology of the bachelor thesis

The representation of the methodical approach of this work occurs in 3 steps, namely

1. The representation of the Research process,
2. The representation of the Criteria Catalogue process, and
3. The representation of the Conclusion process referring to point 2.

The following illustrated research process (see fig. 1 research-and criteria catalogue process) is embedded into the ‘cascade model’ (q.v. Chapter 6.4), that means that it is possible that between in Fig. 1. For illustration the research phases‚ the research process and criteria catalogue process backward steps between the single phases are possible (q.v. Figure 1).

illustration not visible in this excerpt

Figure 1 research- and criteria catalogue process, own source

The research process is applied in all phases of this Bachelor thesis and contains, how in Figure 1 displayed, high-class cheque after end of each research phase.

6 Description of the project ‚Analysis of Prof. GIS-Desktop SW’

6.1 Overview of the project ‚Analysis of Prof. GIS-Desktop SW’

In today's times, a dynamic enterprise-covering change of communication policy takes place in the enterprises increasingly – here is used the catchword „Customer Relation-ship marketing“- in the foreground of every bigger company. At rapid speed the process of the customer connection walks in the range B2C (Business to Consumer), however, also in the B2B (Business to Business) area. The Internet gets by progress of the portal technologies and increasing know-how of application of GIS-SW a significant strategically factor for the customer connection. By application of new communication technologies, companies are in the position to increase individualised customer solutions (Customized marketing) and provide and allow long lasting customer respect (customer connection) [Meff00, 161 ff.].

This work deals at first with the worldwide GIS-SW market. From chapter 7.2 it is entered on the topic of Prof. GIS-Desktop SW (Professional Geographical Information System Desktop Software). A systematic overview about the application and meaning of Prof. GIS-Desktop SW in the B2B and B2C market should be given to the reader of this work. The main focus of this work concentrates on the concept and application of a qualitative classification schema for Prof. GIS-Desktop SW in practice, concerning the Prof. GIS-Desktop SW in companies that are positioned in the scope of business B2C and B2B.

The idea of this work is to develop a criterion catalogue and to conceive, how to make it for B2B and B2C companies possible to give a profound and critical market overview of Prof. GIS-Desktop Software systems. This criterion catalogue should work in practice as a qualitative basis with choice processes (e.g., call for tenders process of GIS-SW newly to be purchased) for Prof. GIS-Desktop SW application. At first a concept is created for a criterion catalogue. The representation of the criterion catalogue should occur to form of a qualitative system of evaluation. The criterion catalogue should measure the meaning of the quality of the criteria for Prof. GIS-Desktop SW systems respectively to be examined in form of a rank procedure (more detailed description, see ‘Description, benchmarking process and design of the criteria catalogue' (chapter 7.5). Building up all criteria it should flow systematically onto the criterion catalogue to become one qualitative measurable meaning for the B2B and B2C companies.

6.2 Project framework

This Bachelor thesis is done in the context of the deepening course VI of the IT specialisation "e-commerce" of the studies of business applications of computer science at the ‘University of business Administration and Economics’ (Vienna). The assistance on the part of the department of business management and business applications of computer science of the ‘University of business Administration and Economics’ (Vienna) occurs from my supervisor. The work is based on a subject suggestion called the ‘support IT of direct marketing’ by my supervisor.

6.3 Information about project matter

The project starts from point zero and has got no offshore project phases. The most important contents of the project get described in the following chapters: ‘Description about the Project Analysis GIS-SW’ (chapter 6.3), ‘Phases and milestones about the project' (chapter 6.6)‚ and ‘Project overview: GANT CHART' (chapter 6.7).

6.4 Description ‚cascade model’ – a procedure model for the bachelor thesis research process

The project realisation orientates on the ‘cascade model’. The cascade model’ partly takes into consideration the possibility of backward steps. It analyses a sequence of the steps, requirement and preliminary investigation, analysis, design, implementing, test and company and admits a reverse step of a step on the direct predecessor. Nevertheless, a step can be concluded when all products intended for it have been finished. This should lead to a risk minimisation during the project period. Below the ‚Cascade model’ is charted (q.v. Figure 2)

illustration not visible in this excerpt

Figure 2 The Cascade Model, own source

6.5 Description about the Project ‚Analysis GIS-SW’

The project ‘Analysis GIS-Software’ is divided into five phases. The ‘Phase of theory’ or Research phase, the ‘Phase of analysis’, the ‘Phase of design’, the ‘Phase of design II’ and finally the ‘Phase of Evaluation’ The following table (q.v. Table 1) shows the project phases during the project ‘Analysis GIS-SW’.

illustration not visible in this excerpt

Table 3 project milestone plan, own source

6.7 Project Overview: GANT Chart

In the following table the project is displayed for easier understanding in the form of project phases. In the next picture the phases of the project are displayed including a picture of the project plan in form of a GANT-Chart (q.v. Figure 3 GANT-Chart of the project ‘Analysis GIS-SW’). In this place, it is important to mention that the cascade model is used here (q.v. chapter 6.4 ‘Description cascade model’).

illustration not visible in this excerpt

Table 4 conception of a phase model, own source

In the following there is displayed the picture of the GANT-Chart (q.v. fig 3). The black rhombs represent the project plans; the red rhomb at the end displays the project end.

illustration not visible in this excerpt

Figure 3 GANT Chart of the project ‘Analysis of GIS-SW system’, own source

7 Topics

7.1 GIS-Software Market Overview

This chapter has the idea to analyze the GIS-SW Market, within the main points of development in the GIS-SW Market during the past 4 years and to explain/illustrate this in form of circle graphs. This chapter also compares the development in the Prof. GIS-SW Market between 2003 and 2006.

7.1.1 Description market research company Daratech Inc.

This work is based on market research topics in the range of Prof. GIS-Desktop SW on published excerpts (cuttings) of the ‘GIS-SW marketing study 2006’ of the market research company Daratech, Inc. The main excerpts of this market study have been retrieved from the ‘Proquest’ database [Dara06].

Daratech Inc. is the worldwide biggest market research enterprise in the range of GIS-Market research and publishes yearly studies about the worldwide GIS-SW Market [Dara06].

7.1.2 The Prof. GIS-SW Market 2003

The market GIS-SW was dominated according to the excerpts of the marketing study by Daratech, Inc. in 2003 by 3 enterprises, namely of the company ESRI Inc. (market share 34 percent), the company INTEGRAPH Inc. (market share 13 percent) and the company AUTODESK Inc. (market share 9 percent). The market share of these GIS-companies come added up to a market-dominating interest of 56 percent of all absolute turnovers were gained in the range of GIS-SW vendor market-share worldwide [Enge03]. There is a majority of the licenses of GIS-SW sold in the United States, because the market-dominating enterprises, as for example ESRI Inc. have upgraded their distribution network stronger than in Continental Europe. The GIS-SW market raises about 5 percent according to the year 2002. The market leader ESRI Inc. led over to the company Intergraph Inc. by 21 percent.

Figure 4 GIS 2003 software vendor market share [cp. Dara06, excerpt of GIS-market study, Proquest database]

illustration not visible in this excerpt

7.1.3 The Prof. GIS-SW Market 2006

The market GIS-SW was dominated according to excerpts of the GIS-SW market study by Daratech, Inc. in 2006 also by 3 companies, as of the company ESRI Inc .(market share 33 percent), the company BENTLEY SYSTEMS Inc. (market share 16 percent) and the company INTEGRAPH Inc. (market share 15 percent). In adding all market shares of these companies it gets added up to a market-dominating interest of 64 percent of all absolute turnovers in the GIS-SW market sector worldwide in 2006 [Ferr06].

The Company BENTLEY SYSTEMS Inc. could gain by using strategically important additional purchase in the energy industry and attachments sector in 2006 big turnovers in the sector GIS-SW and has removed out therefore the company INTEGRAPH Inc. form the second place (e.g. INTEGRSAPH Inc. was situated on the 2nd place referring market share in 2003 by 13 percent) [Ferr06]. Following the Figure 5, illustration about GIS 2006 vendor market share:

illustration not visible in this excerpt

Figure 5 GIS 2006 software vendor market share [cp. Dara06, excerpt of GIS-market study, Proquest database]

Beside, during the past 3 years – if one excludes the 3 market-dominating proficient ESRI Inc., BENTLEY SYSTEMS Inc. and AUTODESK, Inc. - the shares of the market of the respective companies by access of other rival firms (following expl. SICAD GEOMATICS) reduced absolutely.

7.2 GIS-Software Systems Overview

7.2.1 Types of GIS SW systems

Over 100 commercial software systems claim to have mapping and GIS capabilities. From the previous section on the product strategy of the major GIS SW vendors it can be seen that four main types of generic GIS SW dominate the GIS Market. Enclosed you see a list of different types of GIS SW which are mainly categorized in five types of GIS-SW (q.v. Table 5):

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Table 5 Different types of GIS SW systems [LoGo05, p. 167 ff.]

7.2.2 The structure and logic of GIS SW

A modern GIS software system includes software components of three basic types which split in three system components:

- a data management system for controlling access to GIS data
- a mapping system for display and interaction with maps and other geographic visualizations and
- a spatial analysis and modelling system for transforming geographic data using operators

The described three system components for these parts may reside on the same computer or can be distributed widely over a network.

7.2.3 The difference between Desktop and network GIS

Today high-end (professional) GIS users work primarily with software that runs either on the desktop or over the Web. In the desktop case a PC (Personal Computer) is the main hardware platform. In the desktop paradigm clients tend to be functionally rich and substantial in size, and are often referred to as thick or fat clients. Some GIS workgroups have adopted the client-server implementation approach by adding either a thin or thick server application running on an operating system (e.g. Prof. Windows Server 2003 system). Thin servers perform relatively simple tasks, such as serving data from databases. Thick servers in comparison to thin servers also offer more extensive analytical capabilities such as geocoding, routing, mapping functions or spatial analysis. The following table shows the main differences between a Desktop and network GIS system (q.v. Table 6)

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Table 6 Comparison of desktop and network GIS [LoGo05, p. 167 ff.]

7.2.4 Understand the architecture of GIS-Desktop Software

As in the chapter 7.2.2(Chapt. 7.2.2 ‘The structure and logic of GIS-SW’) already mentioned a GIS-SW system consist of user interface, the tools und the data management system (q. v. Figure 6). The user’s interaction with the GIS-SW system is realised via a graphical user interface (GUI), an integrated collection of menus, tool bars, and other controls for analysing GIS-data.

The GUI provides access to the GIS tools. The functions are defined by the tools that the GIS-SW system has available for processing geographic data. The data is stored in files/databases organized by a data management tool. In standard information system terminology this architecture is called three-tier architecture. In the following Figure a classical three tier architecture of a GIS-SW system is presented divided in a Data Server-, a Business Logic- and a Data Server Layer (q. v. Figure 6).

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Figure 6 classical three tier architecture of a GIS-SW system [q.v. LoGo05, p. 160]

[...]

Excerpt out of 82 pages

Details

Title
Analysis of GIS-Software – a GIS software market survey in the business to consumer (B2C) and business to business (B2B) market
Subtitle
Design and development of a criteria catalogue built up on a classification pattern refer to professional GIS-(Geographical Information Systems) desktop software
College
Vienna University of Economics and Business  (Institut für Wirtschaftsinformatik und BWL)
Course
Vertiefungskurs VI - Spezialisierung E-Commerce
Grade
2,0
Author
Year
2007
Pages
82
Catalog Number
V80067
ISBN (eBook)
9783638823876
ISBN (Book)
9783638825122
File size
1894 KB
Language
English
Notes
Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Konzipierung eines 'Kriterienkataloges' der qualitative Kriterien bei der Anschaffung von GIS-Desktop Software bewertet und gewichtet. Zentraler praktischer Teil dieser Arbeit war die Evaluierung der Datengrundlage in Form von strukturierten Firmen-Interviews die GIS-Desktop SW im Einsatz haben bzw. GIS-Desktop SW in naher Zukunft anschaffen.
Keywords
Analysis, GIS-Software, Vertiefungskurs, Spezialisierung, E-Commerce
Quote paper
MMag. Ondrej Horsky (Author), 2007, Analysis of GIS-Software – a GIS software market survey in the business to consumer (B2C) and business to business (B2B) market, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/80067

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