This article integrates McCarthy's REA (Resources‐Events‐Agents) model and the closely related REAL (Resources Events Agents Locations) model with general capabilities and requirements of data warehouses. REA/REAL contribute a theory for capturing information about events and a focus on control relationships. Data warehouses bring time‐period information and a focus on information facilitating the creation of value. Using aspects from both camps, a hybrid schema is developed called REAL‐D, REAL for Data warehouses. Existing data warehouse approaches lack theory, while REA/REAL are theory based. Unique demands on data warehouses, however, make additional requirements on REA/REAL, including (1) addition of time period as another dimension in order to allow rollups from hour to day to week to month to year, (2) addition of location to facilitate rollups from office to city to district, (3) change from a pure location dimension to a nonhomogeneous dimension that allows rollup from person to office, and (4) change of relationships of agents from one of control to a marketing‐oriented one.

This content is only available via PDF.
You do not currently have access to this content.