Author: EMC Education Services
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118876229
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 432
Book Description
Data Science and Big Data Analytics is about harnessing the power of data for new insights. The book covers the breadth of activities and methods and tools that Data Scientists use. The content focuses on concepts, principles and practical applications that are applicable to any industry and technology environment, and the learning is supported and explained with examples that you can replicate using open-source software. This book will help you: Become a contributor on a data science team Deploy a structured lifecycle approach to data analytics problems Apply appropriate analytic techniques and tools to analyzing big data Learn how to tell a compelling story with data to drive business action Prepare for EMC Proven Professional Data Science Certification Get started discovering, analyzing, visualizing, and presenting data in a meaningful way today!
Data Science and Big Data Analytics
Author: EMC Education Services
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118876229
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 432
Book Description
Data Science and Big Data Analytics is about harnessing the power of data for new insights. The book covers the breadth of activities and methods and tools that Data Scientists use. The content focuses on concepts, principles and practical applications that are applicable to any industry and technology environment, and the learning is supported and explained with examples that you can replicate using open-source software. This book will help you: Become a contributor on a data science team Deploy a structured lifecycle approach to data analytics problems Apply appropriate analytic techniques and tools to analyzing big data Learn how to tell a compelling story with data to drive business action Prepare for EMC Proven Professional Data Science Certification Get started discovering, analyzing, visualizing, and presenting data in a meaningful way today!
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1118876229
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 432
Book Description
Data Science and Big Data Analytics is about harnessing the power of data for new insights. The book covers the breadth of activities and methods and tools that Data Scientists use. The content focuses on concepts, principles and practical applications that are applicable to any industry and technology environment, and the learning is supported and explained with examples that you can replicate using open-source software. This book will help you: Become a contributor on a data science team Deploy a structured lifecycle approach to data analytics problems Apply appropriate analytic techniques and tools to analyzing big data Learn how to tell a compelling story with data to drive business action Prepare for EMC Proven Professional Data Science Certification Get started discovering, analyzing, visualizing, and presenting data in a meaningful way today!
Big Data, Big Analytics
Author: Michael Minelli
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 111814760X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 230
Book Description
Unique prospective on the big data analytics phenomenon for both business and IT professionals The availability of Big Data, low-cost commodity hardware and new information management and analytics software has produced a unique moment in the history of business. The convergence of these trends means that we have the capabilities required to analyze astonishing data sets quickly and cost-effectively for the first time in history. These capabilities are neither theoretical nor trivial. They represent a genuine leap forward and a clear opportunity to realize enormous gains in terms of efficiency, productivity, revenue and profitability. The Age of Big Data is here, and these are truly revolutionary times. This timely book looks at cutting-edge companies supporting an exciting new generation of business analytics. Learn more about the trends in big data and how they are impacting the business world (Risk, Marketing, Healthcare, Financial Services, etc.) Explains this new technology and how companies can use them effectively to gather the data that they need and glean critical insights Explores relevant topics such as data privacy, data visualization, unstructured data, crowd sourcing data scientists, cloud computing for big data, and much more.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 111814760X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 230
Book Description
Unique prospective on the big data analytics phenomenon for both business and IT professionals The availability of Big Data, low-cost commodity hardware and new information management and analytics software has produced a unique moment in the history of business. The convergence of these trends means that we have the capabilities required to analyze astonishing data sets quickly and cost-effectively for the first time in history. These capabilities are neither theoretical nor trivial. They represent a genuine leap forward and a clear opportunity to realize enormous gains in terms of efficiency, productivity, revenue and profitability. The Age of Big Data is here, and these are truly revolutionary times. This timely book looks at cutting-edge companies supporting an exciting new generation of business analytics. Learn more about the trends in big data and how they are impacting the business world (Risk, Marketing, Healthcare, Financial Services, etc.) Explains this new technology and how companies can use them effectively to gather the data that they need and glean critical insights Explores relevant topics such as data privacy, data visualization, unstructured data, crowd sourcing data scientists, cloud computing for big data, and much more.
Big Data Analytics
Author: David Loshin
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0124186645
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 143
Book Description
Big Data Analytics will assist managers in providing an overview of the drivers for introducing big data technology into the organization and for understanding the types of business problems best suited to big data analytics solutions, understanding the value drivers and benefits, strategic planning, developing a pilot, and eventually planning to integrate back into production within the enterprise. - Guides the reader in assessing the opportunities and value proposition - Overview of big data hardware and software architectures - Presents a variety of technologies and how they fit into the big data ecosystem
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0124186645
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 143
Book Description
Big Data Analytics will assist managers in providing an overview of the drivers for introducing big data technology into the organization and for understanding the types of business problems best suited to big data analytics solutions, understanding the value drivers and benefits, strategic planning, developing a pilot, and eventually planning to integrate back into production within the enterprise. - Guides the reader in assessing the opportunities and value proposition - Overview of big data hardware and software architectures - Presents a variety of technologies and how they fit into the big data ecosystem
Big Data Analytics with Hadoop 3
Author: Sridhar Alla
Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1788624955
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 471
Book Description
Explore big data concepts, platforms, analytics, and their applications using the power of Hadoop 3 Key Features Learn Hadoop 3 to build effective big data analytics solutions on-premise and on cloud Integrate Hadoop with other big data tools such as R, Python, Apache Spark, and Apache Flink Exploit big data using Hadoop 3 with real-world examples Book Description Apache Hadoop is the most popular platform for big data processing, and can be combined with a host of other big data tools to build powerful analytics solutions. Big Data Analytics with Hadoop 3 shows you how to do just that, by providing insights into the software as well as its benefits with the help of practical examples. Once you have taken a tour of Hadoop 3’s latest features, you will get an overview of HDFS, MapReduce, and YARN, and how they enable faster, more efficient big data processing. You will then move on to learning how to integrate Hadoop with the open source tools, such as Python and R, to analyze and visualize data and perform statistical computing on big data. As you get acquainted with all this, you will explore how to use Hadoop 3 with Apache Spark and Apache Flink for real-time data analytics and stream processing. In addition to this, you will understand how to use Hadoop to build analytics solutions on the cloud and an end-to-end pipeline to perform big data analysis using practical use cases. By the end of this book, you will be well-versed with the analytical capabilities of the Hadoop ecosystem. You will be able to build powerful solutions to perform big data analytics and get insight effortlessly. What you will learn Explore the new features of Hadoop 3 along with HDFS, YARN, and MapReduce Get well-versed with the analytical capabilities of Hadoop ecosystem using practical examples Integrate Hadoop with R and Python for more efficient big data processing Learn to use Hadoop with Apache Spark and Apache Flink for real-time data analytics Set up a Hadoop cluster on AWS cloud Perform big data analytics on AWS using Elastic Map Reduce Who this book is for Big Data Analytics with Hadoop 3 is for you if you are looking to build high-performance analytics solutions for your enterprise or business using Hadoop 3’s powerful features, or you’re new to big data analytics. A basic understanding of the Java programming language is required.
Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1788624955
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 471
Book Description
Explore big data concepts, platforms, analytics, and their applications using the power of Hadoop 3 Key Features Learn Hadoop 3 to build effective big data analytics solutions on-premise and on cloud Integrate Hadoop with other big data tools such as R, Python, Apache Spark, and Apache Flink Exploit big data using Hadoop 3 with real-world examples Book Description Apache Hadoop is the most popular platform for big data processing, and can be combined with a host of other big data tools to build powerful analytics solutions. Big Data Analytics with Hadoop 3 shows you how to do just that, by providing insights into the software as well as its benefits with the help of practical examples. Once you have taken a tour of Hadoop 3’s latest features, you will get an overview of HDFS, MapReduce, and YARN, and how they enable faster, more efficient big data processing. You will then move on to learning how to integrate Hadoop with the open source tools, such as Python and R, to analyze and visualize data and perform statistical computing on big data. As you get acquainted with all this, you will explore how to use Hadoop 3 with Apache Spark and Apache Flink for real-time data analytics and stream processing. In addition to this, you will understand how to use Hadoop to build analytics solutions on the cloud and an end-to-end pipeline to perform big data analysis using practical use cases. By the end of this book, you will be well-versed with the analytical capabilities of the Hadoop ecosystem. You will be able to build powerful solutions to perform big data analytics and get insight effortlessly. What you will learn Explore the new features of Hadoop 3 along with HDFS, YARN, and MapReduce Get well-versed with the analytical capabilities of Hadoop ecosystem using practical examples Integrate Hadoop with R and Python for more efficient big data processing Learn to use Hadoop with Apache Spark and Apache Flink for real-time data analytics Set up a Hadoop cluster on AWS cloud Perform big data analytics on AWS using Elastic Map Reduce Who this book is for Big Data Analytics with Hadoop 3 is for you if you are looking to build high-performance analytics solutions for your enterprise or business using Hadoop 3’s powerful features, or you’re new to big data analytics. A basic understanding of the Java programming language is required.
Big Data Analytics
Author: Venkat Ankam
Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1785889702
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 326
Book Description
A handy reference guide for data analysts and data scientists to help to obtain value from big data analytics using Spark on Hadoop clusters About This Book This book is based on the latest 2.0 version of Apache Spark and 2.7 version of Hadoop integrated with most commonly used tools. Learn all Spark stack components including latest topics such as DataFrames, DataSets, GraphFrames, Structured Streaming, DataFrame based ML Pipelines and SparkR. Integrations with frameworks such as HDFS, YARN and tools such as Jupyter, Zeppelin, NiFi, Mahout, HBase Spark Connector, GraphFrames, H2O and Hivemall. Who This Book Is For Though this book is primarily aimed at data analysts and data scientists, it will also help architects, programmers, and practitioners. Knowledge of either Spark or Hadoop would be beneficial. It is assumed that you have basic programming background in Scala, Python, SQL, or R programming with basic Linux experience. Working experience within big data environments is not mandatory. What You Will Learn Find out and implement the tools and techniques of big data analytics using Spark on Hadoop clusters with wide variety of tools used with Spark and Hadoop Understand all the Hadoop and Spark ecosystem components Get to know all the Spark components: Spark Core, Spark SQL, DataFrames, DataSets, Conventional and Structured Streaming, MLLib, ML Pipelines and Graphx See batch and real-time data analytics using Spark Core, Spark SQL, and Conventional and Structured Streaming Get to grips with data science and machine learning using MLLib, ML Pipelines, H2O, Hivemall, Graphx, SparkR and Hivemall. In Detail Big Data Analytics book aims at providing the fundamentals of Apache Spark and Hadoop. All Spark components – Spark Core, Spark SQL, DataFrames, Data sets, Conventional Streaming, Structured Streaming, MLlib, Graphx and Hadoop core components – HDFS, MapReduce and Yarn are explored in greater depth with implementation examples on Spark + Hadoop clusters. It is moving away from MapReduce to Spark. So, advantages of Spark over MapReduce are explained at great depth to reap benefits of in-memory speeds. DataFrames API, Data Sources API and new Data set API are explained for building Big Data analytical applications. Real-time data analytics using Spark Streaming with Apache Kafka and HBase is covered to help building streaming applications. New Structured streaming concept is explained with an IOT (Internet of Things) use case. Machine learning techniques are covered using MLLib, ML Pipelines and SparkR and Graph Analytics are covered with GraphX and GraphFrames components of Spark. Readers will also get an opportunity to get started with web based notebooks such as Jupyter, Apache Zeppelin and data flow tool Apache NiFi to analyze and visualize data. Style and approach This step-by-step pragmatic guide will make life easy no matter what your level of experience. You will deep dive into Apache Spark on Hadoop clusters through ample exciting real-life examples. Practical tutorial explains data science in simple terms to help programmers and data analysts get started with Data Science
Publisher: Packt Publishing Ltd
ISBN: 1785889702
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 326
Book Description
A handy reference guide for data analysts and data scientists to help to obtain value from big data analytics using Spark on Hadoop clusters About This Book This book is based on the latest 2.0 version of Apache Spark and 2.7 version of Hadoop integrated with most commonly used tools. Learn all Spark stack components including latest topics such as DataFrames, DataSets, GraphFrames, Structured Streaming, DataFrame based ML Pipelines and SparkR. Integrations with frameworks such as HDFS, YARN and tools such as Jupyter, Zeppelin, NiFi, Mahout, HBase Spark Connector, GraphFrames, H2O and Hivemall. Who This Book Is For Though this book is primarily aimed at data analysts and data scientists, it will also help architects, programmers, and practitioners. Knowledge of either Spark or Hadoop would be beneficial. It is assumed that you have basic programming background in Scala, Python, SQL, or R programming with basic Linux experience. Working experience within big data environments is not mandatory. What You Will Learn Find out and implement the tools and techniques of big data analytics using Spark on Hadoop clusters with wide variety of tools used with Spark and Hadoop Understand all the Hadoop and Spark ecosystem components Get to know all the Spark components: Spark Core, Spark SQL, DataFrames, DataSets, Conventional and Structured Streaming, MLLib, ML Pipelines and Graphx See batch and real-time data analytics using Spark Core, Spark SQL, and Conventional and Structured Streaming Get to grips with data science and machine learning using MLLib, ML Pipelines, H2O, Hivemall, Graphx, SparkR and Hivemall. In Detail Big Data Analytics book aims at providing the fundamentals of Apache Spark and Hadoop. All Spark components – Spark Core, Spark SQL, DataFrames, Data sets, Conventional Streaming, Structured Streaming, MLlib, Graphx and Hadoop core components – HDFS, MapReduce and Yarn are explored in greater depth with implementation examples on Spark + Hadoop clusters. It is moving away from MapReduce to Spark. So, advantages of Spark over MapReduce are explained at great depth to reap benefits of in-memory speeds. DataFrames API, Data Sources API and new Data set API are explained for building Big Data analytical applications. Real-time data analytics using Spark Streaming with Apache Kafka and HBase is covered to help building streaming applications. New Structured streaming concept is explained with an IOT (Internet of Things) use case. Machine learning techniques are covered using MLLib, ML Pipelines and SparkR and Graph Analytics are covered with GraphX and GraphFrames components of Spark. Readers will also get an opportunity to get started with web based notebooks such as Jupyter, Apache Zeppelin and data flow tool Apache NiFi to analyze and visualize data. Style and approach This step-by-step pragmatic guide will make life easy no matter what your level of experience. You will deep dive into Apache Spark on Hadoop clusters through ample exciting real-life examples. Practical tutorial explains data science in simple terms to help programmers and data analysts get started with Data Science
Data Analytics and Big Data
Author: Soraya Sedkaoui
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119528054
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 149
Book Description
The main purpose of this book is to investigate, explore and describe approaches and methods to facilitate data understanding through analytics solutions based on its principles, concepts and applications. But analyzing data is also about involving the use of software. For this, and in order to cover some aspect of data analytics, this book uses software (Excel, SPSS, Python, etc) which can help readers to better understand the analytics process in simple terms and supporting useful methods in its application.
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1119528054
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 149
Book Description
The main purpose of this book is to investigate, explore and describe approaches and methods to facilitate data understanding through analytics solutions based on its principles, concepts and applications. But analyzing data is also about involving the use of software. For this, and in order to cover some aspect of data analytics, this book uses software (Excel, SPSS, Python, etc) which can help readers to better understand the analytics process in simple terms and supporting useful methods in its application.
Big Data and Analytics
Author: Vincenzo Morabito
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319106651
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 202
Book Description
This book presents and discusses the main strategic and organizational challenges posed by Big Data and analytics in a manner relevant to both practitioners and scholars. The first part of the book analyzes strategic issues relating to the growing relevance of Big Data and analytics for competitive advantage, which is also attributable to empowerment of activities such as consumer profiling, market segmentation, and development of new products or services. Detailed consideration is also given to the strategic impact of Big Data and analytics on innovation in domains such as government and education and to Big Data-driven business models. The second part of the book addresses the impact of Big Data and analytics on management and organizations, focusing on challenges for governance, evaluation, and change management, while the concluding part reviews real examples of Big Data and analytics innovation at the global level. The text is supported by informative illustrations and case studies, so that practitioners can use the book as a toolbox to improve understanding and exploit business opportunities related to Big Data and analytics.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319106651
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 202
Book Description
This book presents and discusses the main strategic and organizational challenges posed by Big Data and analytics in a manner relevant to both practitioners and scholars. The first part of the book analyzes strategic issues relating to the growing relevance of Big Data and analytics for competitive advantage, which is also attributable to empowerment of activities such as consumer profiling, market segmentation, and development of new products or services. Detailed consideration is also given to the strategic impact of Big Data and analytics on innovation in domains such as government and education and to Big Data-driven business models. The second part of the book addresses the impact of Big Data and analytics on management and organizations, focusing on challenges for governance, evaluation, and change management, while the concluding part reviews real examples of Big Data and analytics innovation at the global level. The text is supported by informative illustrations and case studies, so that practitioners can use the book as a toolbox to improve understanding and exploit business opportunities related to Big Data and analytics.
Big Data on Campus
Author: Karen L. Webber
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN: 1421439034
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Book Description
How data-informed decision making can make colleges and universities more effective institutions. The continuing importance of data analytics is not lost on higher education leaders, who face a multitude of challenges, including increasing operating costs, dwindling state support, limits to tuition increases, and increased competition from the for-profit sector. To navigate these challenges, savvy leaders must leverage data to make sound decisions. In Big Data on Campus, leading data analytics experts and higher ed leaders show the role that analytics can play in the better administration of colleges and universities. Aimed at senior administrative leaders, practitioners of institutional research, technology professionals, and graduate students in higher education, the book opens with a conceptual discussion of the roles that data analytics can play in higher education administration. Subsequent chapters address recent developments in technology, the rapid accumulation of data assets, organizational maturity in building analytical capabilities, and methodological advancements in developing predictive and prescriptive analytics. Each chapter includes a literature review of the research and application of analytics developments in their respective functional areas, a discussion of industry trends, examples of the application of data analytics in their decision process, and other related issues that readers may wish to consider in their own organizational environment to find opportunities for building robust data analytics capabilities. Using a series of focused discussions and case studies, Big Data on Campus helps readers understand how analytics can support major organizational functions in higher education, including admission decisions, retention and enrollment management, student life and engagement, academic and career advising, student learning and assessment, and academic program planning. The final section of the book addresses major issues and human factors involved in using analytics to support decision making; the ethical, cultural, and managerial implications of its use; the role of university leaders in promoting analytics in decision making; and the need for a strong campus community to embrace the analytics revolution. Contributors: Rana Glasgal, J. Michael Gower, Tom Gutman, Brian P. Hinote, Braden J. Hosch, Aditya Johri, Christine M. Keller, Carrie Klein, Jaime Lester, Carrie Hancock Marcinkevage, Gail B. Marsh, Susan M. Menditto, Jillian N. Morn, Valentina Nestor, Cathy O'Bryan, Huzefa Rangwala, Timothy Renick, Charles Tegen, Rachit Thariani, Chris Tompkins, Lindsay K. Wayt, Karen L. Webber, Henry Y. Zheng, Ying Zhou
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN: 1421439034
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 337
Book Description
How data-informed decision making can make colleges and universities more effective institutions. The continuing importance of data analytics is not lost on higher education leaders, who face a multitude of challenges, including increasing operating costs, dwindling state support, limits to tuition increases, and increased competition from the for-profit sector. To navigate these challenges, savvy leaders must leverage data to make sound decisions. In Big Data on Campus, leading data analytics experts and higher ed leaders show the role that analytics can play in the better administration of colleges and universities. Aimed at senior administrative leaders, practitioners of institutional research, technology professionals, and graduate students in higher education, the book opens with a conceptual discussion of the roles that data analytics can play in higher education administration. Subsequent chapters address recent developments in technology, the rapid accumulation of data assets, organizational maturity in building analytical capabilities, and methodological advancements in developing predictive and prescriptive analytics. Each chapter includes a literature review of the research and application of analytics developments in their respective functional areas, a discussion of industry trends, examples of the application of data analytics in their decision process, and other related issues that readers may wish to consider in their own organizational environment to find opportunities for building robust data analytics capabilities. Using a series of focused discussions and case studies, Big Data on Campus helps readers understand how analytics can support major organizational functions in higher education, including admission decisions, retention and enrollment management, student life and engagement, academic and career advising, student learning and assessment, and academic program planning. The final section of the book addresses major issues and human factors involved in using analytics to support decision making; the ethical, cultural, and managerial implications of its use; the role of university leaders in promoting analytics in decision making; and the need for a strong campus community to embrace the analytics revolution. Contributors: Rana Glasgal, J. Michael Gower, Tom Gutman, Brian P. Hinote, Braden J. Hosch, Aditya Johri, Christine M. Keller, Carrie Klein, Jaime Lester, Carrie Hancock Marcinkevage, Gail B. Marsh, Susan M. Menditto, Jillian N. Morn, Valentina Nestor, Cathy O'Bryan, Huzefa Rangwala, Timothy Renick, Charles Tegen, Rachit Thariani, Chris Tompkins, Lindsay K. Wayt, Karen L. Webber, Henry Y. Zheng, Ying Zhou
Big Data Analytics
Author: Kim H. Pries
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1482234521
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 564
Book Description
With this book, managers and decision makers are given the tools to make more informed decisions about big data purchasing initiatives. Big Data Analytics: A Practical Guide for Managers not only supplies descriptions of common tools, but also surveys the various products and vendors that supply the big data market.Comparing and contrasting the dif
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1482234521
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 564
Book Description
With this book, managers and decision makers are given the tools to make more informed decisions about big data purchasing initiatives. Big Data Analytics: A Practical Guide for Managers not only supplies descriptions of common tools, but also surveys the various products and vendors that supply the big data market.Comparing and contrasting the dif
Business Intelligence Strategy and Big Data Analytics
Author: Steve Williams
Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN: 0128094893
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
Business Intelligence Strategy and Big Data Analytics is written for business leaders, managers, and analysts - people who are involved with advancing the use of BI at their companies or who need to better understand what BI is and how it can be used to improve profitability. It is written from a general management perspective, and it draws on observations at 12 companies whose annual revenues range between $500 million and $20 billion. Over the past 15 years, my company has formulated vendor-neutral business-focused BI strategies and program execution plans in collaboration with manufacturers, distributors, retailers, logistics companies, insurers, investment companies, credit unions, and utilities, among others. It is through these experiences that we have validated business-driven BI strategy formulation methods and identified common enterprise BI program execution challenges. In recent years, terms like "big data and "big data analytics have been introduced into the business and technical lexicon. Upon close examination, the newer terminology is about the same thing that BI has always been about: analyzing the vast amounts of data that companies generate and/or purchase in the course of business as a means of improving profitability and competitiveness. Accordingly, we will use the terms BI and business intelligence throughout the book, and we will discuss the newer concepts like big data as appropriate. More broadly, the goal of this book is to share methods and observations that will help companies achieve BI success and thereby increase revenues, reduce costs, or both. - Provides ideas for improving the business performance of one's company or business functions - Emphasizes proven, practical, step-by-step methods that readers can readily apply in their companies - Includes exercises and case studies with road-tested advice about formulating BI strategies and program plans
Publisher: Morgan Kaufmann
ISBN: 0128094893
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 241
Book Description
Business Intelligence Strategy and Big Data Analytics is written for business leaders, managers, and analysts - people who are involved with advancing the use of BI at their companies or who need to better understand what BI is and how it can be used to improve profitability. It is written from a general management perspective, and it draws on observations at 12 companies whose annual revenues range between $500 million and $20 billion. Over the past 15 years, my company has formulated vendor-neutral business-focused BI strategies and program execution plans in collaboration with manufacturers, distributors, retailers, logistics companies, insurers, investment companies, credit unions, and utilities, among others. It is through these experiences that we have validated business-driven BI strategy formulation methods and identified common enterprise BI program execution challenges. In recent years, terms like "big data and "big data analytics have been introduced into the business and technical lexicon. Upon close examination, the newer terminology is about the same thing that BI has always been about: analyzing the vast amounts of data that companies generate and/or purchase in the course of business as a means of improving profitability and competitiveness. Accordingly, we will use the terms BI and business intelligence throughout the book, and we will discuss the newer concepts like big data as appropriate. More broadly, the goal of this book is to share methods and observations that will help companies achieve BI success and thereby increase revenues, reduce costs, or both. - Provides ideas for improving the business performance of one's company or business functions - Emphasizes proven, practical, step-by-step methods that readers can readily apply in their companies - Includes exercises and case studies with road-tested advice about formulating BI strategies and program plans