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小公司的大职员和大公司的小职员，哪个更好？
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昨天下班路上碰到一个老同学，我们在路边谈了一会。互相交流了一下近况，我在一个小公司做，很小。而他则在一个大公司，很大。
他笑我们公司只有他们公司一个部门的规模，言语中带着怜悯&&
我立刻反驳，我说我很自豪！我们公司是小，小得像你们的一个部门；但我自豪的是，我们一个部门可以做你们好几个部门的事情！他楞住了。
这就好比中国和瑞士，中国国家大，国家生产总值GDP高，但是人均生产水平比瑞士低十几倍！你说谁会有优越感？
大公司职员往往被画地为牢，被局限在一个部门里面&终老病死&。而小公司的职员可以发挥自己的才干，没有才干的，像我一样的，可以锻炼自己的能力！
你觉得呢？
【SmileAway】：
这或许又是个仁者见仁，智者见智的问题，我来谈谈我的切身体会。
我经历过两家IT界的大公司，一家是亚洲知名的企业，而目前所在的是世界知名的企业。大概也是亚洲知名和世界知名的区别，对比下，在公司制度规范，管理人性化，项目流程，福利等多方面，这家世界知名企业都远远好于这家亚洲知名企业。不过现在正计划去一家中小规模的企业发挥自己更多潜在的价值，而这一选择更多的是出于自己的职业规划。
在一流的企业里面，感受最深的是，制度的规范化，良好的公司文化，团队之间的高效合作，对行业发展趋势和前景的前瞻，及公司对你的详细的职业规划，不仅有很强的专业技能方面的培训，同时也会对你的其它一些相关的综合能力进行培训。在这种公司，只要你自己愿意多学，多思考，你的综合素质会得到很到的提高，道理很简单，在这里，你可以接触到各个领域都很优秀的人，这些都会潜移默化的影响你，借用国内知名的房地产企业家冯伦的一句话&学先进，傍大款，走正道&，而这种机会在一流的企业中会更多些。
而小公司得到综合能力的锻炼我认为更多是业务，技能方面。
在我看来，技能方面的培养不需要太多时间，我们就可以从一个生手变成一位熟手，人的能力的潜力的判断依据，最重要是你来源你的价值观，人生观等方面的综合素质，如果你刚进入社会的时候，能在这方面得到很好的培养，也就意味着你的万丈高楼平地起的基础是很牢固和扎实的。在一流的企业浸泡后，如果你再想走创业的道路，那么再去中小企业去锻炼会是一种好的选择，在这你能更深刻的体会企业是如何成长的，这有助于你充分认识到创业过程将会面临怎样的一种困难，压力。
所以我的看法是，相对来说，刚踏上社会的时候，如果有机会，优先选择去大公司熏陶，可以更好的帮助你制定出科学的职业生涯规划，而之后是继续在大公司发展还是选择小公司，就因人而异了。从我周围的同学，朋友的统计结果来看，一开始有机会在一流的大公司工作对比一开始选择中小企业的，综合素质方面的发展，在这四，五年的成就来看，在大公司发展的大体上会略胜一筹。
【chocolate901】：
我毕业十年以来，走过了大公司也走过了小公司，走过了国营企业＼私营企业也走过了台资企业．其实针对上面的话题来言，无所谓于在大公司还是于小公司，而最重要的是自的实力＼心态＼职涯规划＼选择什么文化的企业。&
不同的企业均有着不同的企业文化，当然只要能生存下来并且在不断发展的企业就自然有它的优势，每个不同的企业都不一样的经营模式。在选择行业时，首先盘点一下自身具备了哪些技能优势，如何去适应该公司的文化，所选择的公司对自己的发展有益处，进入所选择的公司能学到什么，几年之后可以使自己有什么样的变化，这才是最重要的。&
大公司有大公司的人才济济，当然在高端知识人才氛围中，使我们潜移默化的成长；接触高层人士也多，相应的好的机会也较多；大公司也是由小公司经营到大公司，相对的体制比较完善，执行起来较规范；大公司必竟财大气粗，较舍得投资，重视高端人才，培养人才，会推行培训机制，舍得花大钱请高端讲师培训，我们从而受益。当然也有它的弊端存在，如发展空间较为欠缺，老员工占大部分，新人难于生存下来，工作局限性等。&
小公司，规模虽小，重视员工忠诚度，真正需要的人才即是老老实实在为公司做事的人，那种真正能为企业创造效益的人才。所以，它也考虑人力成本的控制，人才的优化，合适的人才安排合适岗位，并且提倡通才，一岗多职，虽然不精，但起码不使离职人员给公司带来威胁。针对员工而言，可以学到多方面的知识；小公司的企业文化相对比较严格，它重视效率，在小公司呆久了，能够约束自己认真严谨的工作态度，一旦离职后到别的公司很快就能够溶入公司适应新的文化。&
所以，无论身在何处，只要心态积极，都能够使自己迅速提升，不断超越自己，整体素质的提升，能够适应社会的形形色色的考验。要成为职场生存的强者，必须经过多种环境的考验，才能总结出生存之道的精髓。
【孙 新（SUNNY）职业经理】:
以我的经验总结，是要看什麽样的大公司或是什麽样的小公司了！我之前在一个大集团公司e工作，管理各部份都是环环相扣，从不脱节，而且个人发展的空间和弹性都很大，最主要是管理者了解各部门员工的需要，没有埋没人才，所以这也是个别大公司的好。相反我也在一家公司做过，结果是厂小人杂，管理处处脱节，各干各的。这也是小公司啊，所以要看什麽环境和什麽公司来决定。
【世纪丰】：
我工作了七八年，换了快十家公司，其中在大公司也呆过两年，我想说一下我自己的感受。开始毕业的人谁都想进入大公司，因为那时感觉进入大公司是一种荣耀，待遇也相对较好，没进的，绝大多数是因为进不了，不是不想进，我开始也是这么想的。当我有了几年的工作经验，再如实在大公司呆了两年之后，想创业的感觉让我离开了大公司。如果说在小公司只是一般的管理人员，我想要学到全面的能力也是比较难的；在大公司想让自己的能力很全面那是更难了。其实两种企业没有必然的可比性，关键是打工人的心态，如果只想着自己的目标且有鸿鹄之志的人，我想他不管在什么样的企业，都会干得比较好，也会感觉到自豪的。心态要好很关键。 &&
【以静平心】：
小公司的职员经常是一人身兼多职，能独挡一面，公司也能为其提供较大的空间任其发挥。 大公司的职员虽然长期处在一个岗位上面，但大公司有着专业的团队为其设计和规划职业生涯，让其在自己擅长的领域发挥自己最大的才能。 公司大小并不能说明什么，对自己而言，最重要的是有机会，有空间去展现自己的才能，实现自己的价值，离了这个，什么都是空谈。&
来源：世界经理人 |对于财会人来说，应该选择去大企业还是小企业工作呢？相信这对于广大财会人来说确实是一个很纠结的问题，为了帮助大家更好的做出适合自己的选择，下面为大家列示了在大企业和小企业工作的优势和弊端对比，希望能够为大家带来帮助。
在大企业工作有哪些优势和弊端呢？
优势：大公司靠流程说话，一切有规可循，规范程度高、制度完善，在大企业工作的好处是学规矩见世面，在管理水平高的企业还能学习到先进的管理方法，也会碰到更多优秀的人，能更丰富自己的工作方法和专业见解。另外，大企业的那些制度流程不仅更有利于团队的合作，而且也是长久以来总结出来的东西，使财会人能更有效地规避潜在的漏洞或风险，更有效率地开展工作。
弊端：大企业几乎都用ERP系统，容易被程序所制约，对提高能力非常不利；大企业每人负责一项具体工作，财会人比较没机会接触到其他方面的东西，学到的东西也不全面；分工比较细，容易被条条框框所束缚。
在小企业工作又有哪些优势和弊端呢？
优势：在小公司工作的好处是身兼多职、学到的东西比较全面，在短期内学习成长较快。
弊端：存续稳定性差、风险高、培训少，而且公司业务复杂程度低会造成个人视野狭窄，小公司靠沟通解决问题，较为注重个人魅力。
总结：对于财会从业人员来说，在满足了基本合规与控制要求的前提下，选择大公司还是小公司是见仁见智。择选择都是双面的，关键在于自己的心态，抱着求知的态度，在大的公司学的是一套规范的流程，可以学精。在小的公司接触的面多一点，学习的面也广一些。
财会人应该结合自己当下的情况进行选择，如果想在短期内接触到更多的财会实务，那自然是小企业好，如果想有更多的学习时间，想考考证书，学习多的新财会知识，选择在大企业上班应该会比较合适。【】 责任编辑：泥巴姐
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实务课程分类找工作大公司和小公司哪个好？
? 找工作大公司和小公司哪个好？
毕业生找工作的时候是选择一个大公司还是一个小的公司好一点，大公司和小公司对于毕业生来说区别在哪里？
　　1、主动VS螺钉　　小公司适合主动性比较强的同学，而大公司适合纪律性比较强的同学。　　小公司由于人手始终不足，常常会面临有些事儿没人干的局面，这个时候，如果你是一个很主动很积极的人，你就可能有机会去牵头处理这些没人干的事儿，甚至体现出你的价值，从而获得更多锻炼和学习的机会。　　大公司主动性的活儿也有，但未必轮得到你来做，尤其对于应届毕业生，你主动的机会并不多，更多时候，要恪守纪律，领导说要怎么做，你就必须怎么做。为什么?因为大公司注重效率。虽然大公司里也很民主，大家也可以展开讨论，讨论业务的方向、模式、实施的细节，但更多的时候，你需要执行。大多数大公司的同学都是一颗螺丝钉。　　2、创新VS流程　　小公司的架构比大公司要简单，你的创意也好、你的成绩也好，都更容易被实现与体现，而大公司要符合流程，虽然不拒绝快速、高效、创新，但更多的时候要合规，要合流程。　　流程并非不重要，但过早接触流程，过多在意流程，就很容易变成流程的奴隶，为了流程而流程。　　对于大多数小公司来说，体量小、掉头也简单，如果发现现有的方向有问题，只要领导头脑清醒，还是有机会调整的;而对于大多数大公司来说，尾大不掉的毛病始终存在。　　3、磨练VS资源　　互联网的资源始终是不足的，任意一家公司，永远开发人手不够用、永远产品经理不够用、永远运营人员不够用。　　大小公司的差异其实也在于此。　　大公司往往有较为充裕的资源，如果你的活儿正好符合了公司的战略方向，你就有更多的资源和更易成功的基础。　　小公司的资源往往更加稀缺，从我的角度上来说，这其实是一种磨练，这种磨练对我们任何人来说，都没有坏处。　　当然，如果你在大公司，而你干的活儿并不是公司战略所认可的，你可利用的资源也会少的可怜。　　4、薪资VS期权　　小公司往往只能靠薪资，而大公司却可以股权激励。　　一定有人会说，股权不好吗?当然好，可是，应届生拿大公司期权，貌似还真的是属于凤毛麟角。　　所以，永远不要过于自信自己属于小部分的那一群，实际上，大多数人都是大部分里的一小撮而已。　　我认为其实真的可以不要用大小公司来区分，而用你自己的心理预期来区分，找到最适合自己的那一条路，才是最重要的。
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相关精彩问答小企业的大数据解决方案 做些大公司做不到的事 - 推酷
小企业的大数据解决方案 做些大公司做不到的事
每个人都在利用大数据，但小公司如何操纵那些通常由大公司使用的大数据呢?
虽然大数据已是游戏规则颠覆者，但中小型企业基于一个主要的劣势没能搭上这班车。缺乏充分利用新式数据技术的资源，也就无缘实施最佳的广告和销售策略。工具和大数据人才是昂贵的。诸多障碍牵制了小企业拥有全面的大数据能力，然而，抛开这一点不谈，一个好消息是小企业实际上已经利用数据很多年了。
本文由ChrisMu翻译向36大数据投稿，并经由36大数据编辑发布，原文作者HANNAH AUGUR。任何不标明来源36大数据及本文链接/archives/37336 &均为侵权。
一个企业只有能力存储大量的信息与能够利用大数据之间有很大区别。大数据是把信息放在一起，并将过去不相连的点连接起来。这和经理与业主在作决定时经常使用的机制类似。新技术只是在更大规模上做这个事儿罢了。它允许用户从堆积如山的数据中提取信息——但小企业为了做出更好的决策并不需要PB级的数据。他们需要的是适当的工具，清晰的意图和正确的问题。
找到一个值得回答的问题
简单地说，小企业面临的第一关是大数据方面的开销。软件和工具的前期成本高（购置费），后期使用费用（雇人）也高。虽然大公司可能愿意购买最好的软件并聘请分析师搜寻数据黄金，然而这不是最具成本效益的战略。相反，小企业必须专注于精确定位哪些问题是他们想要解决的。不是跳进昂贵而且难以控制的数据湖泊，而是寻找一个值得解答的问题，并找到答案。在现实中，大数据的难点不只是技术或信息，还有逻辑和分析。你不需要高价工具或大牛团队。您需要结构化的、明智的计划和战略，以免随后陷入困境。
当你准备好时，试着咨询 IBM 的沃森分析（IBM’s Watson’s Analytics），谷歌分析（Google Analytics）或洞察力平方（Insight Squared）。
利用开源解决方案尽可能地获取数据
先别买Hadoop。有些轻量级的解决方案，成本较低，使用方便。事实上，如果一家公司一直在用分类帐格式 (Excel、 QuickBooks) 收集自己数据，那么他们应该已经有很多数据了。这些信息已经可以提供关于促销、营销活动以及销售的深层见解，拿它与外部数据比较亦将获得更多信息，然而前提是你要有正确的问题。社交媒体是一个重要的数据来源。社交数据可以帮助你洞察客户身上往往不明显的个人生活特征。除了更好地了解目标客户外，社交数据还能反应出什么原因导致网站访问量增加（或降低）——网友张贴了某类信息还是竞选之类的活动。评测民众的兴趣水平和情绪状况还可以成为竞选利器——在陷入困境前请教社交数据可能会得到一些真知灼见。
利用社交媒体数据就是要全面地360度地了解顾客。这些数据不仅包含位置和的采购清单，而是展现了一个标明兴趣、个人主张与喜好的血肉丰满的人物。深入分析社交数据可以获取更多信息，以减少客户流失率。
可以去查Hootsuite，33Acrossor，Presto，或者简单一点，用Facebook Insight 和Twitter Analytics。
做些大公司做不到的事情
大公司可能有钱，但他们缺乏迅速响应所需要的那种速度和敏捷。在实时变更和调整方面小公司做得更好（前提是要具备一些基础的软硬件）。一个大型公司可能需要首席执行官的多项批文以及一份白皮书才能推行变革，而小企业更容易在利用数据时发挥机智和直觉的作用。大数据可以洞察当前的趋势并预测，因而快速应变的能力至关重要。当趋势出现时，小企业反应迅速，及时变革，崭露头角。由此，大数据让更多中小企业成为弄潮儿，乃至潮流的缔造者。
响应问题时灵活性也至关重要。减少客户流失的关键是及时从负面数据中得到线索并予以响应。即使很小的投诉也会带来很大的负面影响。
寻找灵感?像Constant Contact和 Intuit Quickbooks 这样的工具可以帮助那些无法获取大量数据的小公司。通过比较行业内类似的数据集，小公司可以更好的认识其市场趋势。
与团队共享数据和见解
大数据带来的惊喜之一是它影响团队成员的心理。一旦数据开始露脸，形成结论，并且实施落地，整个气氛都在改变。雇员 (和雇主)（凭借大数据）能够找到更清晰的路径，更好地了解客户，他们将更明白如何做好本职工作。一个有趣的研究是审视大数据如何改变一个小公司的思维模式和能力。以往企业主和经理凭借经验以及少量的用户信息做决定，如今更好的数据意味着更好的决策和更高的参与水平。
一个重要的教训是要对数据有信心。尝试了解数据的含义是个好主意，然而数据不是万能的，比如并非总能探察到每个小细节的“why”和“how”，而且由数据揭露的事实并非总是不容置疑的。无论哪个市场、公司规模多大、甚至商业模式如何，大小企业都受惠于利用大数据。当然，首先要提出恰当的问题，并且打开思路。或许你要问该如何开始利用大数据？最好的启程可能只是Google Analytics和一大杯咖啡。
二、翻译笔记
1、Apart from giving better insight into target customers, it also highlights what posts, information or campaigns are driving traffic up (or down)。这里drive traffic指网站流量，例如：drive traffic to my web site.( 想办法让流量流向我的网页)。Drive more traffic with our SEO recommendations.(我们的网络引擎优化的推荐配置可以帮助你引流) 8 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Site With Google+。
2、Triggering and partaking in deeper conversations leads to more information and less churn.这里的churn指客户流失。参见churn rate。
3、Hootsuite，国外一个社交媒体管理平台。HootSuite采用了Klout开发的计算互联网影响力的算法，帮助企业根据其关注者在Twitter上的影响力来分类这些关注者，让企业和品牌可以更好地与关注者进行沟通。
4、33Acrossor，社交服务广告公司。
5、Presto是Facebook开发的数据查询引擎，可对250PB以上的数据进行快速地交互式分析。
6、One important lesson to be learned is to trust the data. Trying to make sense of data is a great idea. Knowing the “why,” and “how” of every little de however, it can’t always be possible. The facts represented by data are not always easy to divine and, in fact, it might just be impossible sometimes.翻译成了“一个重要的教训是要对数据有信心。尝试了解数据的含义是个好主意，然而数据不是万能的，比如并非总能探察到每个小细节的“why”和“how”，而且由数据揭露的事实并非总是不容置疑的。”译者认为直译过来有些生硬，但是如此意译又造成一些信息丢失，渴望大家能多提提意见。
Big data solustions for small businesses
Everyone is leveraging big data…but how can a small company maneuver a world of data intended for mega-companies?
While big data has proven a game changer, small and medium-sized businesses are left at a major disadvantage. Without the resources to fully leverage new data technologies, it is simply impossible to implement the best advertising and sales tactics. Tools and personnel that specialize in big data, its uses and implementation can be expensive. However, despite the many barriers holding small business from full big data capabilities the Small businesses have actually been leveraging data for years.
There is a very large difference between what it means to use Big Data, and a company simply having the capacity to store large quantities of information. Big Data is about putting information together, and connecting dots that were not connected in the past. This is the same mechanism managers and owners regularly use when making decisions. New technology simply does this on a larger scale. It allows users to pull information from unthinkable mountains of data—but small businesses don’t need petabytes of data in order to make better decisions. What they need are appropriate tools, clear intentions and the right questions.
Find a question worth answering
The first hurdle for small businesses is, quite simply, the costs of big data. Software and tools have high up-front costs as well operational costs. While large companies may be content buying the best software and paying analysts to search out data gold, it is not the most cost effective strategy. Instead, smaller businesses must focus on pinpointing what problem they want to address. Rather than jumping into an expensive, unwieldy data lake, find a question that is worth answering, and find an answer. In reality, the very crux of big data is not just tech or information, but logic and analysis. You don’t need overpriced tools or a team of analysts in order to ask creative questions and find practical results. You do need structured, intelligent plans and strategies before jumping into the deep-end.
When you’re ready, try consulting IBM’s Watson’s Analytics, Google Analytics or Insight Squared.
Leverage open source solution to get data wherever you can
Don’t buy into Hadoop just yet. There are lightweight solutions available that cost less and are easier to leverage. In fact, if a company has been collecting its own data in a ledger format (Excel, QuickBooks), they already have a great mountain of data. This information already offers insights on promo and marketing campaigns as well as sales, and can be compared against external data for even more information—once you have the right questions. Social Media is not only an easy source of data, but an important one. These outlets give you insight into the personal lives of customers that aren’t always apparent. Apart from giving better insight into target customers, it also highlights what posts, information or campaigns are driving traffic up (or down). Gauging interest level and sentiment can also work as the backbone to a new campaign—before jumping in the deep end, consulting social data may hold some serious insights.
Leveraging social media data is all about getting the full, 360 degree view of customers. Rather than just a location and list of purchases, they become a person with fully developed interests and opinions and, well, likes. Triggering and partaking in deeper conversations leads to more information and less churn.
Check out Hootsuite, 33Acrossor, Presto or start simple with Facebook Insight and Twitter Analytics
Do what big companies can’t
Large corporations may have money, but they lack the speed and agility to respond quickly. Real-time changes and adjustments are something the little guy can excel at—when properly equipped. While a huge company may need five approvals from a CEO and a white paper to make changes, smaller businesses are able to combine data with savvy and intuition much easier. Big data lends insight into what is trending now. While it can also make predictions, the ability to implement quick changes is vital. When a trend is emerging, small businesses are just as capable (if not more capable) of making quick changes and jump on board. Rather than letting big names pave the way, big data let’s more modestly-sized companies ride (and make) the waves.
Flexibility is also important when responding to problems. Rather than letting customers slip away, taking cues from negative data and responses is key to cutting back on churn. Even small complaints paint a big picture.
Looking for inspiration? Tools like Constant Contact and Intuit Quickbooks helps smaller companies that can’t collect substantial amounts of data. By comparing their customer’s data to similar datasets from others in the industry, small companies can get a better idea of what’s trending in their market.
Share data and insights with the team
One of the biggest surprise results of big data is the way it impacts the team mentality. Once data is beginning to show up, conclusions being drawn, and responses implemented, the entire atmosphere shifts. With the ability to find a more clear path, and a better understanding of customers, employees (and employers) have a much better idea of how to do their jobs. A very interesting study delves into how big data changes the mindset and abilities of small companies. Rather than owner-managers running everything based on experience and a small pool of consumer information, better datasets meant better decisions and higher involvement levels. A great summary of the research can be found here.
One important lesson to be learned is to trust the data. Trying to make sense of data is a great idea. Knowing the “why,” and “how” of every little de however, it can’t always be possible. The facts represented by data are not always easy to divine and, in fact, it might just be impossible sometimes. Whatever the market, company size, or even business style, businesses big and small benefit from leveraging big data. It all begins with the right questions, and an open mind. The best place to get start might just be Google Analytics and a big cup of coffee.
四、原文引用的文章
Small Businesses Need Big Data, Too
by Christina Donnelly and Geoff Simmons
December 05, 2013
If you run a small or medium-size business, chances are you haven’t felt a need to invest in extensive customer data, relying instead on your well-honed intuition to help you hold your own against data-rich, bigger competitors. A lot of small-firm owners and managers feel that way, and in many cases they’re justifiably proud of their competitive intangibles—a gut sense of the market and the flexibility to change quickly.
What you may not realize is that investing in data and learning how to use it might be transformative for your business. In research we conducted with Gillian Armstrong of the University of Ulster and Andrew Fearne of the University of Kent, we found not only that small businesses benefited from the precision offered by customer data, but also that exposure to data encouraged owner-managers to share insights with employees and get them involved in companies’ competitive thinking.
Of course, for the smallest businesses, access to extensive consumer data can be prohibitively expensive, a point we’ll address in detail in a subsequent post. But cost isn’t the only barrier. Small firms tend to find the whole concept daunting—they know they lack the expertise and the time resources to make good use of the information. Our three-year project was designed to build awareness among small firms about the value that data could have for their businesses.
Funding from a regional UK government agency enabled us to get over the cost barrier: It allowed us to provide loyalty-card information from supermarket giant Tesco, free of charge, to seven firms in the Northern Ireland region of the UK. These companies, ranging in size from seven to 45 employees, sell such things as dairy products, baked goods, vegetables, and desserts to Tesco and another grocery chain, Sainsbury’s (we tasted some pretty amazing soups during the course of our research—a tough job, but someone has to do it).
The data, provided by analytics firm dunnhumby, covered such things as consumer life stage and lifestyle, market-basket analysis, and best-performing stores for the small firms’ products.
The formalized structure of loyalty-card data within a statistical format requires firms to take a more formalized and struc&tured approach to marketing planning—that’s a challenge for small companies. Owner-managers were encouraged to attend workshops, and one of us (Christina Donnelly), after being trained by dunnhumby, worked one-to-one with owners and managers to help them retrieve the most relevant data from the loyalty-card database and analyze the information, so that the companies could answer questions such as “How is my category performing?” “What is the most popular flavor of bread?” “What type of consumer buys a product similar to mine?”
We found that prior to being exposed to the loyalty-card data, the small businesses tended to be dominated by their owner-managers, who made decisions on the basis of their past experiences and any consumer information they could get their hands on. For example, one firm, having been asked by a retailer to produce a range of ready meals, simply looked at other products on the market and tried to imitate them. In other cases, the small firms followed guidelines laid down by the big retail buyers.
Once they were given access to loyalty-card data, most of the small firms took to it immediately. They were quick to adopt a more formalized approach to marketing planning. They were able to envision long-range innovations, rather than reacting to competitors’ or the retailers’ actions. One small-firm owner said the data had changed the company’s ideas about how to grow its consumer base. Another said, “Now we know precisely who our target consumer is.”
A yogurt maker, for example, learned by analyzing the data that older adults were a key market for its products, so when the company’s representatives visited supermarkets for in-store tastings, they no longer tried to entice younger shoppers and instead focused on older people. The tactic improved the events’ productivity.
But the small firms didn’t abandon their reliance on experience. Instead, the data complemented the owners’ and managers’ intuition, giving them new confidence.
Moreover, the data amplified the firms’ inherent entrepreneurial nature. Workplaces became more collegial: Most of the owner-managers shared the card information with their firms and encouraged employees to get involved and offer new ideas.
Big Data threatens to create a deep divide between the have-datas and the have-no-datas, with big corporations gaining advantage by crunching the numbers and small firms left to stumble in the dark. The small firms we worked with were well aware that they were at a severe disadvantage to big competitors that had the financial muscle to buy into loyalty-card data and the resources to use it.
Governments and universities can play important roles in bridging the divide, providing funds and expertise so that small firms can get access to, and learn to interpret, data. Our project is an example of a fruitful collaboration—among the University of Kent, the University of Ulster, dunnhumby, and the government funding body. The quality of the learning is important. A key reason why this project worked was the one-to-one help for the owner-managers. Data is only as good as the people who use it.
For small and medium-size firms that do manage to acquire consumer data, there’s still more work to be done: They need to be sure to encourage employees to participate in thinking about how to use the information competitively. We saw firsthand that inclusivity energizes firms, driving innovation.
From Data to Action An HBR Insight Center
oAre You Ready for a Chief Data Officer?
oDoes Your Company Actually Need Data Visualization?
oNate Silver on Finding a Mentor, Teaching Yourself Statistics, and Not Settling in Your Career
oStop Assuming Your Data Will Bring You Riches
Christina Donnelly is an assistant professor in marketing at the National University of Ireland Maynooth, Kildare, Ireland.
Geoff Simmons is an associate professor at Queen’s University Belfast in the UK.
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