Data Investments Boost Productivity, ROE

High quality data that is presented concisely and in useful ways to mobile and remote access users can improve the financial metrics that predict a firm's competitiveness, overall health and profitability. A study at The University of Texas at Austin in conjunction with the Indian School of Business and sponsored by Sybase found that the cost of increasing effective data is relatively minor compared to the resulting returns.

The study of more than 150 Fortune 1000 firms examined issues associated with the quality, accessibility and relevance of data, relative to its impact on the performance of the business. The research explored the correlation between investments in IT and the financial performance of the business, the productivity of employees, and the ability to more accurately plan and forecast.

Results suggest that while large-scale investments in IT have improved basic data access and quality, there is still room for major performance gains through additional investments in better data. Even marginal investments in IT can have dramatic impact when that technology addresses data quality, usability and intelligence, whether it be using mobility or remote access solutions, analytics or BI solutions, or a combination of technologies.

Source: “Measuring the Business Impacts of Effective Data” University of Texas at Austin, July 2010

Julie Langenkamp is editor-in-chief of Information Management. She can be reached at julie.langenkamp@sourcemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @JulieLangenkamp.

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