Analytics at Work: Smarter Decisions, Better Results

Description

Most companies have massive amounts of data at their disposal, yet fail to utilize it in any meaningful way. But a powerful new business tool - analytics - is enabling many firms to aggressively leverage their data in key business decisions and processes, with impressive results. In their previous book, Competing on Analytics, Thomas Davenport and Jeanne Harris showed how pioneering firms were building their entire strategies around their analytical capabilities. Rather than "going with the gut" when pricing products, maintaining inventory, or hiring talent, managers in these firms use data, analysis, and systematic reasoning to make decisions that improve efficiency, risk-management, and profits. Now, in Analytics at Work, Davenport, Harris, and coauthor Robert Morison reveal how any manager can effectively deploy analytics in day-to-day operations-one business decision at a time. They show how many types of analytical tools, from statistical analysis to qualitative measures like systematic behavior coding, can improve decisions about everything from what new product offering might interest customers to whether marketing dollars are being most effectively deployed. Based on all-new research and illustrated with examples from companies including Humana, Best Buy, Progressive Insurance, and Hotels.com, this implementation-focused guide outlines the five-step DELTA model for deploying and succeeding with analytical initiatives. You'll learn how to: * Use data more effectively and glean valuable analytical insights * Manage and coordinate data, people, and technology at an enterprise level * Understand and support what analytical leaders do * Evaluate and choose realistic targets for analytical activity * Recruit, hire, and manage analysts Combining the science of quantitative analysis with the art of sound reasoning, Analytics at Work provides a road map and tools for unleashing the potential buried in your company's data.

Thomas H. Davenport, a chaired professor at Babson and an Accenture Fellow, has a well-established reputation on the business implications of technology and has authored, co-authored, or edited 12 books - 8 with Harvard Business Press. Three of the books have been best-sellers. Jeanne G. Harris has worked with analytics, decision support and business intelligence at Accenture for over 23 years and headed the consulting practice in that area for the firm for several years. She is now Executive Research Fellow and Director of Research for the Accenture Institute for High Performance Business. She would be able to marshal client examples, ideas from consultants and marketing support from Accenture (and its many alliance partners) for this book. Robert Morison leads research for nGenera (formerly the Concours Group), is co-author of Workforce Crisis and has co-directed the Business Analytics Concours research program for the past two years.

"Harvard Business School Press, Davenport in particular, has produced some excellent books on competitive analytics and the like, with good case studies..." - ZD Net