Some businesses falling into the big data gap

Big data proved to be more than a trending term in 2012 and most companies are incorporating it into their strategies as they make their decisions for 2013. However, there has been an equal amount of positive buzz as negative, especially when considering if businesses are taking full advantage of the potential and upholding data quality.

Many businesses remain in the big data gap, according to a recent Forbes article penned by contributor Steve Olenski. This is the space between the desire to take advantage of new analytics and actually doing so in a meaningful way. Olenski highlights the fact that when asked about their current decision-making processes, marketers still heavily rely on their gut instincts and the opinions of co-workers. They tend to turn to data-driven insights only after they have first consulted those trusted resources.

There are a number of explanations for this finding. One is that there aren't yet enough data scientists to interpret the content in companies' databases. Another is that businesses' plans and policies haven't matured, according to Wired Magazine. However, it's been predicted that 2013 will be the year that many enterprises move beyond their first attempts and introduce fine-tuned requirements for their big data initiatives that will advance their efforts.