Blogs

Does Analytics Really Improve Business Performance?

The book's main argument is that analytics improve business performance. The authors reason that decisions based on evidence are more likely to be correct than those based on intuition. Since analytics provide evidence to decision makers, analytics help businesses make better decision and out perform their rivals.

What is Missing from Competing on Analytics

The book does a great job of introducing the reader to the benefits of analytics. But it does not help us understand when using analytics is most appropriate.

The authors' definition of analytics emphasizes quantitative and statistical analysis. There are two problems with this approach. First, not all useful evidence is quantitative in nature. Second, not all analytical reasoning is based on data or evidence. Yet these other forms of analysis are also valuable.

Summary of Part I: Then Nature of Analytical Competition

In Competing on Analytics, the authors define analytics as "the extensive use of data, statistical and quantitative analysis, explanatory and predictive models, and fact-based management to drive decisions and actions." Analytical competitors are those businesses that use analytics most extensively.

I recently read Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning by Thomas Davenport and Jeanne Harris. Davenport and Harris argue that analytics make businesses more successful. Therefore, they believe, analytics will be a central part of future business competition.

This video was created by Google and pro

Short Run Cost Cutting Features

Provides 80% of what you need out of the box

Most good websites have many features in common. Important features include: a system for managing user logins and permissions: an attractive design and layout, a simple method for adding, modifying and removing content, a system for categorizing and organizing content; an archival system; a way to manage multimedia files; and integration with an web analytics program.

Often small businesses do not pay enough attention to website security issues. Some feel they don't have particularly sensitive information on their website. Others ask whether their website will be targeted at all.

The answer to the second question is yes. Being a small player is no protection. A wolf doesn't go after the biggest meal; it goes after the easiest one. Hackers are no different. They scan the herd for the weakest member.

Webology is proud to announce the imminent launch of the Unified Social Media website. Unified Social Media (USM) will offer a free and easy way to promote your website content. USM's service is the only free service that automatically creates contextually targeted ads for your new content and places those ads on websites that you select.

Poor people and minorities have traditionally been less likely than average to use the web and less likely to have internet access at home. However, there is also a small business digital divide.

Smaller businesses with fewer resources generally make lighter user of information technologies. The same is true for minority-owned businesses. For example, HispanicBusiness.com reports that Hispanic-owned businesses are less likely than average to use the internet; information technology in general; have a website; or have an ecommerce strategy.