Paper Title
The Role of Mobile Workers in Business Intelligence (Bi) Gathering: A Proposed Framework

Abstract
The frequently changing and competitive business environment in which companies operate suggest that intelligence of the market and firms’ competitors is more essential than ever in a rapidly evolving and connected world. When companies are able to continuously review the behaviour of their customers and rivals, they can proactively act to changes in the market, sooner than other firms, and gain competitive advantages. The paper proposes methodology and applicable framework for companies for gathering business intelligence (BI) by utilizing the visits of their mobile workers (technicians, maintenance personnel, etc.) in client homes and businesses, and reviewing their premises and surroundings. Mobile workers, invited by clients to maintain services or products, are willingly provided access to the client’s location and can thereby gather and report on premise information that can benefit the outlook of the company of each client, as well as assist in identifying entry efforts of competitors to each market niche. These data is particularly useful for ongoing assessment and strategic planning based on real time insights. The paper presents the methodology and proposes an architectural and managerial framework for the implementation of BI gathering by mobile workers in a broad range of organizations. Index Terms- business intelligence, information gathering, information systems, mobile workers.