P3考點解析：大數據（Big Data）

近年來，大數據（Big Data）成為了一個熱門話題，在ACCA P3的考核中也有所體現：

那么大數據到底指什么呢?

“大數據”一般定義為：

'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（一個美國大型咨詢公司）的分析師Doug Laney表示，大數據具有3V特點：Volume（大量）、Velocity（高速）、Variety（多樣）。

關于“大數據”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

有人把數據比喻為蘊藏能量的煤礦。煤炭按照性質有焦煤、無煙煤、肥煤、貧煤等分類，而露天煤礦、深山煤礦的挖掘成本又不一樣。與此類似，大數據并不在“大”，而在于“有用”。價值含量、挖掘成本比數量更為重要。對于很多行業而言，如何利用這些大規模數據是贏得競爭的關鍵。