Big Data Gets Sociable
Jinfo Blog

By Victor Camlek

Abstract

Victor Camlek examines how the huge pot of social networking data is set to take the big data world by storm, impacting on sales, marketing, research and KM professionals across all fields.

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Recent FreePint articles discuss a facet of big data which has been little explored to date: the social networking aspect, set to become increasingly important for areas from sales to marketing and competitive intelligence.

Knowledge Management Gets Social

James Mullan offered an informative article dealing with a new form of knowledge management referred to as “Social Knowledge Management”. He examines why social KM is an important force in driving us to share data we may not want to release to others. This latest form of KM offers information professionals new ways to harness information from a social context into alerting services and even predictive tools.

Pharma Field Seizes Big Data Opportunity

I also reported on a story that pulls social networking information into the realm of big data within the pharmaceutical industry. IMS Health, well-known for its market tracking and services aimed at market research and sales management within pharma recently acquired Semantelli, a small New Jersey-based social media analytics firm. We're increasingly seeing established companies opting to take on new capabilities via M&A - many of which can lead to early mover competitive advantages in an evolving information market where big data can be harnessed from a mix of social and professional sources.

Pulling Big Data into LinkedIn with Pulse

James Mullan also took a closer look at some of the recent developments at LinkedIn including its acquisition of news app Pulse alongside the release in the US of LinkedIn’s latest Contacts app. Outcomes  could range from a new form of blended content to potential for combined calendars or past conversations within our LinkedIn networks. It definitely appears that LinkedIn is stirring up a new big data concoction that could take this tool well beyond its initial purpose.

Editor's Note: Big Data in Action

This article is part of the FreePint Topic Series: Big Data in Action, which includes articles, reports, webinars and resources published between April and June 2013. Learn more about the series here.

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