如何发掘数据时代的新矿藏——大数据

P3考点解析：大数据（Big Data）

近年来，大数据（Big Data）成为了一个热门话题，在ACCA P3的考核中也有所体现：

那么大数据到底指什么呢?

“大数据”一般定义为：

'Extremely large collections of data (data sets) that may be analysed to reveal patterns, trends, and associations, especially relating to human behaviour and interactions.'

The increasing use of the Internet and, in particular, social network sites has led to a huge increase in data that is available to organisations. If analysed appropriately, the increased business intelligence can be used to improve the performance of an organisation.

Traditionally, the information available to organisations was mainly internal, relating to transactions and operations of the business.

Today there are many additional external sources of data that may also be useful to organisations. For example:

?discussions on social media about an organisation's products and brands; and

?the behaviour of visitors to the website

Gartner（一个美国大型咨询公司）的分析师Doug Laney表示，大数据具有3V特点：Volume（大量）、Velocity（高速）、Variety（多样）。

关于“大数据”的例子：

Browsing activities: sites, pages visited, membership of sites, downloads, searches

Financial transactions

Interests

Buying habits

Reaction to advertisements on the internet or to advertising emails

Geographical information

Information about social and business contacts

Text

Numerical information

Graphical information (such as photographs)

Oral information (such as voice mails)

Technical information, such as jet engine vibration and temperature analysis

有人把数据比喻为蕴藏能量的煤矿。煤炭按照性质有焦煤、无烟煤、肥煤、贫煤等分类，而露天煤矿、深山煤矿的挖掘成本又不一样。与此类似，大数据并不在“大”，而在于“有用”。价值含量、挖掘成本比数量更为重要。对于很多行业而言，如何利用这些大规模数据是赢得竞争的关键。