Discussion: Business Intelligence
The terms data, information and knowledge are often discussed as a progression. Ask students to identify a number written as such: 4018651000. They will likely have many guesses such as a social security number. Then, ask them to identify the same number if you write it out as follows: (401) 865-1000. They will know it is a phone number. The point is that the data (the raw number) ‘became' information when it was seen displayed in the proper context. The format provided meaning. However, students only knew this because they had a priori knowledge of what a North American phone number would look like. Engage them in this discussion and then pose the following discussion questions:
a.) Does this mean we can only gather data if we know what to look for? If so, where does knowledge come from?
b.) What implications does this thought have for actual data collection (marketing data)? For instance - how much a priori knowledge must we have to make data gathering useful?
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.