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IBM and Oxford Survey: Getting Closer to Customers Tops Big Data Agenda

By Guest PostOctober 17, 2012Technologyanalytics, big data, business school, customer experience, data mining, database, Economy, geospatial data, global snapshot, ibm, ibm study, initiative, internal system, it professional, janet smart, michael schroeck, organization, oxford, primary objective, query, reporting, saïd, sensor data, social media, social network, solution, source, structured data, uk, university, unstructured data

Less than half of organizations analyzing external data; only 43 percent looking at social media for deeper understanding about consumer preferences
Lack of advanced analytics skills for tackling unstructured data biggest challenge

ARMONK, N.Y. and OXFORD – 17 Oct 2012: A new global report released today by IBM and the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford reveals that most Big Data initiatives currently being deployed by organizations are aimed at improving the customer experience. Yet, despite the strong focus on the customer, less than half of the organizations engaged in active Big Data initiatives are currently collecting and analyzing external sources of data, like social media.

One reason is that many organizations are struggling to address and manage the uncertainty inherent within certain types of data, such as the weather, the economy, or the sentiment and truthfulness of people expressed on social networks. In the survey, respondents questioned their ability to trust comments, reviews, tweets and other forms of freely offered opinions online. While uncertain, social media data still contains valuable information. Organizations need to embrace and manage data uncertainty and determine how to use it to their advantage. (more…)

Coastal Power Surveys

By Guest PostOctober 10, 2012Environmentbeacon motel, canr, cape henlopen, coastal power, computer simulation, delaware, delaware beach, delaware coast, delaware shore, drilling platform, Economy, energy production, fishing, floating lab, george parsons, gulf coast, higher energy, hotel blue, jacob fooks, janet johnson, joshua duke, kent messer, Mexico, offshore, oil, rehoboth beach, seth olsen, state, state university, survey, university, virden center, virginia, walker jones, wind turbine

UD’s Messer gauges Delaware beachgoers’ reactions to offshore energy

The University of Delaware’s Kent Messer leads a research team that is conducting two studies at the Delaware coast to determine how people would react to offshore energy production and how that could impact the state’s economy.

The first study was conducted at Cape Henlopen and Rehoboth Beach and involved students surveying beachgoers to see how open they were to the idea of offshore energy, specifically wind turbines and oil drilling platforms. (more…)

U.S. Manufacturers Bringing Work Home from Overseas

By Guest PostOctober 3, 2012Economyaerospace, chain, China, cultural barrier, defense, domestic soil, Economy, electronics, erosion, expert, factor, firm, global risk, India, industry, intellectual property, kenneth petersen, labor cost, language, lisa ellram, manufacturing operation, medical, michigan, oil price, overseas, political instability, problem, product quality, state university, supply, surgical supplies, time zone, tobias schoenherr, transportation cost, united states, US, wendy tate

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Increasingly, U.S. firms are moving or considering moving their manufacturing operations back to domestic soil from overseas, finds a new study co-authored by a Michigan State University supply chain expert.

Fueling the trend are rising labor costs in emerging countries, high oil prices and increasing transportation costs, global risks such as political instability and other factors, said Tobias Schoenherr.

“Going overseas is not the panacea that it was thought of just a decade or so ago,” said Schoenherr, assistant professor in MSU’s top-ranked Department of Supply Chain Management. “Companies have realized the challenges and thus are moving back to the United States.” (more…)

Late-Night Comedy Television Increases Political Discussion

By Guest PostSeptember 17, 2012Politicsbehavioral intention, comedy, daily show, david letterman, democrat, disney resort, Economy, effective, emotion, gender breakdown, image, jay leno, jon stewart, late show, michigan, nbc, nightly news, orlando, political candidate, political news, republican, television host, tonight show, university, video clip

ANN ARBOR, Mich.— The jokes by late-night comedy television hosts can be just as effective as regular political news in spurring discussion among viewers, a new University of Michigan study shows.

In addition, political candidates could help their campaigns with mentions by shows like “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “Late Show with David Letterman” or “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” (more…)

Wind Power’s Potential

By Guest PostSeptember 12, 2012Environment3d, atmospheric circulation, carbon dioxide, clean energy, climate impact, coastal ocean, cristina archer, delaware, Economy, energy demand, energy output, energy potential, Environment, environmental impact, fundamental barrier, future energy, gator gcmom, german, global, global scale, mark jacobson, physical model, saturation, stanford university, surface temperature, university, water vapor, wind, wind turbine

UD-Stanford team calculates maximum global energy potential from wind

Wind turbines could power half the world’s future energy demands with minimal environmental impact, according to new research published by University of Delaware and Stanford University scientists in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The researchers arrived at the determination by calculating the maximum theoretical potential of wind power worldwide, taking into account the effects that numerous wind turbines would have on surface temperatures, water vapor, atmospheric circulations and other climatic considerations.

“Wind power is very safe from the climate point of view,” said Cristina Archer, associate professor of geography and physical ocean science and engineering at UD. (more…)

How Technology is Changing Kenya

By Guest PostSeptember 10, 2012Economy, Technologyafrica, big name, blog, business, changing, data, data collection, Economy, everyday life, facility, forefront, healthcare, information technology, internet, julie, Kenya, kenyans, next, online map, online resource, paul, portable, provider, smart phone, startup, Technology, wife

It is not often you think about how technology can affect an entire country, but the upsurge of affordable smart phones and portable internet have made a huge impact on the everyday lives on Kenyans. Not only do people now have access to things around the world, but they also have educational and health opportunities they have never had before. The idea of using smart phones as makeshift computers is nothing new, especially in developing countries. Where the income is limited, a smartphone can be a costly expense. However, having access to current technology will allow Kenyans to expand and grow in the world economy. To that end, here are some examples of improvements that new technology has had in the lives of Kenyans: (more…)

Analysis of Election Factors Points to Romney Win, University of Colorado Study Says

By Guest PostAugust 23, 2012Politicsanalysis, Barack Obama, colorado, democracy, democrat, Economy, election, electoral college, factor, florida, kenneth bickers, michael berry, minnesota, new hampshire, north Carolina, ohio, Pennsylvania, prediction model, republican, romney, trajectory, university of colorado, us president, virginia, White House, wisconsin

A University of Colorado analysis of state-by-state factors leading to the Electoral College selection of every U.S. president since 1980 forecasts that the 2012 winner will be Mitt Romney.

The key is the economy, say political science professors Kenneth Bickers of CU-Boulder and Michael Berry of CU Denver. Their prediction model stresses economic data from the 50 states and the District of Columbia, including both state and national unemployment figures as well as changes in real per capita income, among other factors.

“Based on our forecasting model, it becomes clear that the president is in electoral trouble,” said Bickers, also director of the CU in DC Internship Program. (more…)

Press Freedom Leads to Happiness, Environmental Quality, MU Study Finds

By Guest PostAugust 9, 2012Culture, Media, Politicsbruno takahashi, democracy, Economy, edson tandoc, environmental degradation, environmental quality, freedom, government, happy, information, life satisfaction, predict, press, united nations, university of missouri

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Freedom of the press is viewed by many as a cornerstone of democracy. But can it actually help improve people’s lives and make them happy? Researchers at the University of Missouri have found that citizens of countries with press freedom tend to be much happier than citizens of countries without free presses. Edson Tandoc, Jr., a doctoral student in the MU School of Journalism, says that press freedom directly predicts life satisfaction across the world.

“We already know that having reliable, objective news sources can benefit democracy, but in this study, we found that press freedom also benefits communities by helping improve the overall quality of life of citizens and, in the process, by also making them happier,” Tandoc said. “People enjoy having an element of choice about where they get their news. Citizens of countries without a free press are forced to rely on the government for information, when what people really want is diversity in content where they are free to get the information they want from the source of their choosing.” (more…)

Tag Archives: Economy