Students are introduced to the fundamentals of location analytics, including location value and spatial maturity and growth across business functions. Moving from fundamentals, the course focuses on the domain of marketing with focus on marketing applications of GIS and location analytics to enhance customer value by understanding, examining, and predicting the needs and preferences of the modern customer. Topics include environmental scanning, market segmentation, target marketing and promotions, and development of an integrated marketing plan using GIS as an analytic tool.

This course offers an analysis of location value and value chains as they relate to contemporary business operations, modern production networks, and supply chains in a complex, global environment. Emphasis is on employing GIS for spatial analysis of country characteristics to gain important insights to global production and sales decisions, as businesses increasingly focus on international markets. Topics include GIS analysis of international trade and foreign direct investments, spatial assessment of global industry sectors, management of global supply chains and logistics using GIS, spatial analysis of global human resources, and financial forces influencing international business. May be substituted by INTB 670: International Area Studies (Study Abroad).

This course focuses on decision-making spanning various stages of the location value chain in businesses employing GIS and location analytics. Emphasis is on illustrations of the process by which GIS and location analytics projects and business applications are planned, developed, and implemented. Topics include location analytics and spatial enablement in the enterprise, spatial decision support, location analytics to examine big data, social media, internet of things, mobile technologies and their spatial components, and costs, benefits, risks, and ethical implications of spatial projects and applications.

This course is the culmination of the location analytics concentration, with a focus on management and leadership aspects of the contemporary spatial business enterprise. Emphasis is on application of management principles for spatial transformation and development and prototyping of spatial strategies for competitive advantage spanning the organizational value chain. Topics include needs assessment for GIS strategy implementation, location analytics strategy, cost-benefit analysis and return on investment of spatial investments, and championing and leading a 21st century spatially infused workforce.