From Big Data to Big Profits: Success with Data and Analytics

Technological advancements in computing have changed how data is leveraged by businesses to develop, grow, and innovate. In recent years, leading analytical companies have begun to realize the value in their vast holdings of customer data and have found ways to leverage this untapped potential. Now, more firms are following suit and looking to monetize Big Data for big profits. Such changes will have implications for both businesses and consumers in the coming years.

In From Big Data to Big Profits, Russell Walker investigates the use of Big Data to stimulate innovations in operational effectiveness and business growth. Walker examines the nature of Big Data and how businesses can use it to create new monetization opportunities. Using case studies of Apple, Netflix, Google, LinkedIn, Zillow, Amazon, and other leaders in the use of Big Data, Walker explores how digital platforms such as mobile apps and social networks are changing the nature of customer interactions and the way Big Data is created and used by companies. Such changes, as Walker points out, will require careful consideration of legal and unspoken business practices as they affect consumer privacy. Companies looking to develop a Big Data strategy will find great value in the SIGMA framework, which he has developed to assess companies for Big Data readiness and provide direction on the steps necessary to get the most from Big Data.

Rigorous and meticulous, From Big Data to Big Profits is a valuable resource for students, researchers, and professionals with an interest in Big Data, digital platforms, and analytics

Russell Walker, Ph.D. is Clinical Associate Professor at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Russell Walker has developed and taught leading executive programs on Big Data and Analytics, Strategic Data-Driven Marketing, Risk Management, and Global Leadership. He founded and teaches the popular Analytical Consulting Lab, which brings Kellogg MBAs together with real-world projects in Analytics and the use of Big Data. His is the author of the award-winning text Winning with Risk Management http://www.amazon.com/Winning-Risk-Management-Financial-Eng ineering/dp/9814383880 and had also authored many popular business cases. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University, where he studied catastrophic risk analysis. He also holds an MS from Cornell University, an Executive MBA from the Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University. Dr. Walker consults with firms on the topics of Big Data and Analytics, Risk Management, and International Business Strategy. He was named Top 100 Most Influential Individuals in the Big Data Landscape by Onalytica in 2016.