Big Data at Work: Dispelling the Myths, Uncovering the Opportunities

by Thomas H. Davenport

Overview

Go ahead, be skeptical about big data. The author was—at first.

When the term “big data” first came on the scene, bestselling author Tom Davenport (Competing on Analytics, Analytics at Work) thought it was just another example of technology hype. But his research in the years that followed changed his mind.

Now, in clear, conversational language, Davenport explains what big data means—and why everyone in business needs to know about it. Big Data at Work covers all the bases: what big data means from a technical, consumer, and management perspective; what its opportunities and costs are; where it can have real business impact; and which aspects of this hot topic have been oversold.

This book will help you understand:
• Why big data is important to you and your organization
• What technology you need to manage it
• How big data could change your job, your company, and your industry
• How to hire, rent, or develop the kinds of people who make big data work
• The key success factors in implementing any big data project
• How big data is leading to a new approach to managing analytics

With dozens of company examples, including UPS, GE, Amazon, United Healthcare, Citigroup, and many others, this book will help you seize all opportunities—from improving decisions, products, and services to strengthening customer relationships. It will show you how to put big data to work in your own organization so that you too can harness the power of this ever-evolving new resource.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781422168165
Publisher:	Harvard Business Review Press
Publication date:	02/25/2014
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Thomas H. Davenport is a world-renowned thought leader on business analytics and big data, translating important technological trends into new and revitalized management practices that demonstrate the value of analytics to all functions of an organization. He is the President’s Distinguished Professor of Information Technology and Management at Babson College, a fellow of the MIT Center for Digital Business, cofounder and Director of Research at the International Institute for Analytics, and a senior adviser to Deloitte Analytics. Davenport is the author or coauthor of seventeen books, including the bestselling Competing on Analytics, as well as the author of dozens of articles for Harvard Business Review.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

1 Why Big Data Is Important to You and Your Organization 1

2 How Big Data Will Change Your Job, Your Company, and Your Industry 31

3 Developing a Big Data Strategy 59

4 The Human Side of Big Data 85

5 Technology for Big Data s 113

6 What It Takes to Succeed with Big Data 135

7 What You Can Learn from Start-Ups and Online Firms 153

8 What You Can Learn from Large Companies: Big Data and Analytics 3.0 175

Appendix: Big Data Readiness Assessment Survey 205

Notes 211

Index 217

About the Author 229

Editorial Reviews

“It’s a required reading for managers that need a straightforward, hype-free introduction to big data, a clear and clarifying “signal” in the incredible noise around the confusing and mislabeled term.” — Forbes

“Davenport has written a thought-provoking book about a current topic that is becoming more important to business and individuals every day. Summed up: Highly recommended.” — Choice magazine

“The book covers all aspects of the issue, from what big data means, to whom you must hire, to what technologies to follow. It’s surprisingly easy to read, given the topic, and offers good examples to ponder from startups and large firm.” — Globe & Mail

“Davenport is a methodologically-sound researcher. His deep interviews and surveys of executives and data scientists set a standard for excellence in an industry where marketing bravado generally supersedes scientific rigor” — Information Management (information-management.com)

ADVANCE PRAISE for Big Data at Work:

Jane Griffin, Managing Director Analytics, Deloitte Canada and Americas—
“Big Data at Work is the first and only book to describe how real organizations are using big data, extracting value from it, and combining it with other forms of data and analytics. It’s an invaluable guide to planning and action.”

Jonathan D. Becher, Chief Marketing Officer, SAP—
“Is Big Data a buzzword or does it have practical applications in business? Big Data at Work goes beyond tech-talk to help businesspeople turn Big Data into Big Decisions.”

Gary L. Gottlieb, MD, MBA, President and CEO, Partners HealthCare System, Inc.; Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School—
“Big Data at Work provides a terrific foundation for thoughtful planning to exploit the business opportunities created by diverse and vast sources of information. Davenport’s clear approach will enlighten managers about the need to carefully mine these resources to improve operations and products while driving new and competitive strategies.”

Rob Bearden, CEO, Hortonworks—
“Thomas Davenport has supplied a smart, practical book for anyone looking to unlock the opportunities—and avoid the pitfalls—of big data.”

Adele K. Sweetwood, Vice President, Americas Marketing & Support, SAS—
“Conversational, engaging, and an exceptional guide for decision making in the big data world. Big Data at Work offers insight to the business and technology components of a big data strategy, a path to success, and best practices from across industry sectors.”

From the Publisher