Big data and data collection: data management, the increasingly specialized approach of devices and software for coherent and real-time orchestration of information.
As confirmed by the Big Data & Business Analytics Observatory – promoted by School of Management of the Polytechnic of Milanthe market for offering Data Management & Analytics solutions is in great turmoil.
From devices connected to social networks, from satellites to the web, the explosion in the amount of data available and the evolution of technologies to collect, manage and analyze it has opened up new scenarios and interesting opportunities for companies. Although the term Big Data is very often abused, Analytics is a universe capable of having a transversal impact on business processes and beyond: there are many application examples that can help convey this idea. From their use in marketing and communication, to their contribution in fraud prevention, through the optimization of tourist flows and their use in healthcare.
The world of Big Data includes one of the most profound and pervasive evolutions of the digital world, according to a trend destined to remain and to have a profound impact on our lives and our way of doing business. Talking about Big Data doesn’t just mean talking about large amounts of data, the transformation underway is deeper. The data collection and management process is changing, the technologies to support the data life cycle are evolving and new skills are being developed for the valorisation of the data.
Analytics skills and technologies transform raw data into valuable information for users corporate decision makers: it is now possible to obtain competitive advantage thanks to timely and more informed decisions, not only for larger organizations but also for small and medium-sized businesses. Which is not a detail. The relevance of Big Data is also confirmed by the numbers: the Analytics market, as we will see later in the guide, continues to grow and the management of Big Data is confirmed at the top of the investment priorities of Italian CIO and Innovation Manager.
I Big Data nel 2023
2023 was the year of Generative AI in data analytics and the applicability of the Data Governance Act. Italian companies’ spending on infrastructure, software and services for data management and analysis grows by +18% and reaches a value of 2.85 billion euros, 83% of the total attributable to large companies and 17% % to micro-enterprises and SMEs. Growth driven by the Cloud component (27% of the market), particularly marked in the manufacturing sector and in the telco and media sector. Large-scale distribution/retail and public administration (PA) and healthcare recorded growth in line with the market average. The banking sector is first in terms of spending on data management and analysis in relation to the ICT budget.
Improves overall maturity of large companies in the ability to exploit data: according to the Data Strategy Index, the percentage of advanced-level companies is growing, reaching 20% in 2023 (it was 15% in 2022), while the median value of the index improves slightly. But a third of large Italian companies (32%) are still immature or in their infancy.
Professional figures for the valorisation of data within organizations are now widespread: 77% of large Italian companies already have a Data Analyst, 49% a Data Scientist and 59% a Data Engineer. However, in 2023, 77% had difficulty finding the required figures. On the front of PMI, 4 out of 10 companies do not have any figure dedicated, even partially, to data analysis; 57% have instead equipped themselves with data software Visualization & Reporting (+8% on 2022), but this is mostly sporadic use, with very limited investments. The spreadsheet remains extremely widespread in operations.
(Continue reading, in the next pages we report the opinion of the big names in the sector)